cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How Have Experimental Cancer Interventions Evolved over Time

We performed a trends analysis of experimental cancer interventions. The complete records of 32,623 interventional neoplasm clinical trials involving 454 types of neoplasms from 2000 to 2017 were downloaded from the AACT database. The conditions and drug concepts were normalized using MetaMap. The normalized frequencies (NF) for each type of intervention were calculated and compared. Among 95,440 interventions, 77.4% were drugs, 5.3% were radiation, 6.6% were surgery and 10.6% were other therapies. Among 47,754 arms, 82.8% were mono-type interventions and 17.2% were multi-type interventions. Among 73,889 drug interventions, immunologic factor drugs increased rapidly over the last five years. Both breast cancer and pancreatic cancer have been testing new drugs in clinical trials; however, more drugs have been tested in phase 3 or 4 trials and employed in comparator arms for breast cancer compared to pancreatic cancer. Breast cancer trials showed a more even drug NF distribution than pancreatic cancer trials. The JS Distance among three periods (2000-05 vs. 2006-11 vs. 2012-17) showed unidirectional research progress trend for breast cancer, but reverse trend for pancreatic cancer. This study contributes a large-scale landscape overview of the trends in cancer experimental interventions and a methodology for using public clinical trial summaries for understanding the evolving cancer research.
Untangling iNKT Cell Function in Adipose Tissue Homeostasis

iNKT cells are important regulatory cells in metabolic health and disease. In this issue of Cell Metabolism, LaMarche et al. (2020) clarify the origin and heterogeneity of these unconventional T cells and identify the specific signals in adipose tissues that direct their function.
A well-tolerated core needle muscle biopsy process suitable for children and adults.

Introduction Serial muscle biopsies within clinical trials for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) are critical to document therapeutic responses. Less invasive means of sampling muscle are needed. Methods We analyzed a retrospective consecutive case-series cohort of vacuum-assisted core needle muscle biopsy procedures performed on healthy and dystrophic individuals at a single institution assessing for safety and reliability of obtaining sufficient high quality biopsy tissue for histologic assessment in adult and pediatric subjects. Results Of 471 muscle cores from 128 biopsy procedures, 377-550mg of total muscle tissue was obtained per procedure with mean core weight of 129mg (SD 25.1mg). All Biopsies were adequate for histological assessment. There were no significant adverse events. Discussion This core needle biopsy approach, when combined with improved sample processing, provides a safe means to consistently obtain muscle samples for diagnostic and clinical trial applications. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Development of an Emergency Department-Based Intervention to Expand Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in a Medicaid Nonexpansion Setting: Protocol for Engagement and Community Collaboration.

Background: The opioid epidemic has disproportionately impacted areas in the Appalachian region of the United States. Characterized by persistent Medicaid nonexpansion, higher poverty rates, and health care access challenges, populations residing in these areas of the United States have experienced higher opioid overdose death rates than those in other parts of the country. Jefferson County, Alabama, located in Southern Appalachia, has been especially affected, with overdose rates over 2 times greater than the statewide average (48.8 vs 19.9 overdoses per 10,000 persons). Emergency departments (EDs) have been recognized as a major health care source for persons with opioid use disorder (OUD). A program to initiate medications for OUD in the ED has been shown to be effective in treatment retention. Likewise, continued patient engagement in a recovery or treatment program after ED discharge has been shown to be efficient for long-term treatment success. Objective: This protocol outlines a framework for ED-initiated medications for OUD in a resource-limited region of the United States; the study will be made possible through community partnerships with referral resources for definitive OUD care. Methods: When a patient presents to the ED with symptoms of opioid withdrawal, nonfatal opioid overdose, or requesting opioid detoxification, clinicians will consider the diagnosis of OUD using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (fifth edition) criteria. All patients meeting the diagnostic criteria for moderate to severe OUD will be further engaged and assessed for study eligibility. Recruited subjects will be evaluated for signs and symptoms of withdrawal, treated with buprenorphine-naloxone as appropriate, and given a prescription for take-home induction along with an intranasal naloxone kit. At the time of ED discharge, a peer navigator from a local substance use coordinating center will be engaged to facilitate patient referral to a regional substance abuse coordinating center for longitudinal addiction treatment. Results: This project is currently ongoing; it received funding in February 2019 and was approved by the institutional review board of the University of Alabama at Birmingham in June 2019. Data collection began on July 7, 2019, with a projected end date in February 2022. In total, 79 subjects have been enrolled to date. Results will be published in the summer of 2022. Conclusions: ED recognition of OUD accompanied by buprenorphine-naloxone induction and referral for subsequent long-term treatment engagement have been shown to be components of an effective strategy for addressing the ongoing opioid crisis. Establishing community and local partnerships, particularly in resource-limited areas, is crucial for the continuity of addiction care and rehabilitation outcomes. Trial Registration:
Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive Users’ Knowledge, Conversations with Healthcare Providers, and Condom Use: Findings from a U.S. Nationally Representative Probability Survey

To describe long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) users’ knowledge, patient-provider interactions, and condom use associated with LARC use. Methods: Data are from the 2018 National Survey of ...
Training in Neurology: Neuro Day: An Innovative Curriculum Connecting Medical Students With Patients.

Objective To determine whether increased patient interaction, exposure to the neurologic examination, and access to positive neurology mentors increase interest in neurology for first-year medical students. Methods Neuro Day was a 2-part experience for first-year medical students. The first part consisted of a flipped classroom to teach the standard neurologic examination. The second part involved patient encounters modeled off of the traditional patient rounds. Students rotated from room to room, listening to patients9 experiences with different neurologic diseases and eliciting pathologic neurologic examinations. Students were surveyed before and after Neuro Day. Results The result of the binomial test indicated that the proportion of medical students interested in neurology significantly increased from 78% to 85% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.79–0.92; p = 0.034) after participating in Neuro Day. The proportion of students9 knowledge of clinical neurology increased from 45% to 63.1% (95% CI 0.54–0.72; p Conclusion Neuro Day is a feasible and effective model to incorporate into medical education. There was increased interest in and decreased fear of neurology. We anticipate that this paradigm can be used in the future to encourage students to consider a career in neurology.
Diabetes Care and Glycemic Control During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States.

Dramatic reductions in outpatient visits and laboratory testing early in the COVID-19 pandemic1,2 raised concerns about gaps in diabetes management and glycemic control.3 We therefore compared weekly rates of diabetes-related outpatient visits, screening tests, medication fills, and patients’ hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in 2020 vs 2019 in a national cohort of adults with type 2 diabetes.
Longitudinal and Transverse Spin Transfer of $\Lambda$ and $\overline{\Lambda}$ Hyperons in Polarized $p$+$p$ Collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 200$ GeV at RHIC-STAR

Measurements of the longitudinal spin transfer, $D_{LL}$, and the transverse spin transfer, $D_{TT}$, of the $\Lambda(\bar{\Lambda}$) hyperon in polarized $p$+$p$ collisions are expected to be sensitive to the helicity distribution and transversity distribution of the $s(\bar{s})$ quark in proton and the corresponding polarized fragmentation functions. This contribution presents the new preliminary results of the $\Lambda(\bar{\Lambda}$) $D_{LL}$ and $D_{TT}$ using data collected at RHIC-STAR experiment in 2015, with twice larger statistics than previously published results.
Heteroacene-Based Amphiphile as a Molecular Scaffold for Bioimaging Probes

The challenges faced with current fluorescence imaging agents have motivated us to study two nanostructures based on a hydrophobic dye, 6H-pyrrolo[3,2-b:4,5-b']bis [1,4]benzothiazine (TRPZ). TRPZ is a heteroacene with a rigid, pi-conjugated structure, multiple reactive sites, and unique spectroscopic properties. Here we coupled TRPZ to a tert-butyl carbamate (BOC) protected 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)propanoic acid (bisMPA) dendron via azide-alkyne Huisgen cycloaddition. Deprotection of the protected amine groups on the dendron afforded a cationic terminated amphiphile, TRPZ-bisMPA. TRPZ-bisMPA was nanoprecipitated into water to obtain nanoparticles (NPs) with a hydrodynamic radius that was <150 nm. For comparison, TRPZ-PG was encapsulated in pluronic-F127 (Mw = 12 kD), a polymer surfactant to afford NPs almost twice as large as those formed by TRPZ-bisMPA. Size and stability studies confirm the suitability of the TRPZ-bisMPA NPs for biomedical applications. The photophysical properties of the TRPZ-bisMPA NPs show a quantum yield of 49%, a Stokes shift of 201 nm (0.72 eV) and a lifetime of 6.3 ns in water. Further evidence was provided by cell viability and cellular uptake studies confirming the low cytotoxicity of TRPZ-bisMPA NPs and their potential in bioimaging.
Rough Sets and Neuroscience

It has been almost exactly 10 years since the publication of the Neurocomputing Special Volume on Rough-Neuro Computing, and nearly 8 years since the seminal book “Rough-Neural Computing” came out. Rough-Neuro (or Neural) Computing (RNC) generalizes traditional artificial neural networks by incorporating the concepts of information granularity and computing with words. It provides solid theoretical foundations for hybridization of neural computing with the theory of rough sets, as well as rough mereology, and has many interesting practical applications. Interestingly, while the RNC paradigms directly or indirectly draw extensively from the field of neuroscience, not many applications of the theory of rough sets (in the form of RNC or otherwise) to solve problems in that field exist. This is somewhat surprising as many problems in neuroscience are inherently vague and/or ill-defined and could potentially significantly benefit from the rough sets’ ability to deal with imprecise data, and those applications that have been proposed, have been very successful. In this chapter, we describe a few examples of the existing applications of the theory of rough sets (and its hybridizations) in the field of neuroscience and its clinical “sister,” neurology. We also provide a discussion of other potential applications of rough sets in those areas. Finally, we speculate on how the new insights into the field of neuroscience derived with the help of rough sets may help improve RNC, thus closing the loop between the two fields.
The role of dopamine in modulating the structure and function of striatal circuits.

Abstract Dopamine (DA) is a key regulator of action selection and associative learning. The striatum has long been thought to be a major locus of DA action in this process. Although all striatal cell types express G protein-coupled receptors for DA, the effects of DA on principal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) understandably have received the most attention. In the two principal classes of MSN, DA receptor expression diverges, with striatonigral MSNs robustly expressing D1 receptors and striatopallidal MSNs expressing D2 receptors. In the last couple of years, our understanding of how these receptors and the intracellular signalling cascades that they couple to modulate dendritic physiology and synaptic plasticity has rapidly expanded, fuelled in large measure by the development of new optical and genetic tools. These tools also have enabled a rapid expansion of our understanding of the striatal adaptations in models of Parkinson’s disease. This chapter highlights some of the major advances in these areas.
Polyol Metabolism in the Basidiomycete Schizophyllum commune

Niederpruem, Donald J. (Indiana University Medical Center, Indianapolis), Amtul Hafiz, and Lyle Henry. Polyol metabolism in the basidiomycete Schizophyllum commune. J. Bacteriol. 89:954–959. 1965.—The polyol metabolism of intact cells and extracts of the wood-rotting mushroom Schizophyllum commune was investigated during the developmental cycle. Exogenous polyols stimulated the cellular respiration of germlings, but were without effect on that of ungerminated basidiospores. Requisite enzymes of polyol metabolism were demonstrated in extracts of spores and of subsequent stages of development. Oxidation of mannitol and sorbitol appeared to be coupled to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) reduction and was favored in alkaline medium. Ketohexose formation was shown during mannitol oxidation, and the NAD-dependent oxidation of xylitol yielded ketopentose. Xylitol oxidation with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) as hydrogen acceptor led to pentose formation. Oxidation of reduced NAD was enhanced by fructose but not by sorbose. Reduction of aldohexose and pentose was dependent upon reduced NADP, and pentose reductase was maximal at pH 6.8. The specific activity of mannitol dehydrogenase was highest in extracts of vegetative mycelium. Growth in either glucose or xylose media had no significant effect on enzymes of polyol metabolism.
Cognition: Exploring the Science of the Mind

Professor Reisberg s inquiry-based approach challenges students to explore core concepts in cognitive psychology by focusing on the ideas behind the research. This unique approach draws on examples from a wide range of disciplines, including biology, linguistics, political science, economics, and philosophy, among others, and clearly demonstrates the real-world implications of theoretical issues. The Third Media Edition combines the strengths of the print text with integrated, cutting-edge multimedia resources. Students using the text will have free access to ZAPS, Norton's acclaimed online psychology labs, as well as the accompanying ZAPS Workbook. Online essays on the accompanying student website explore the relationship between cognitive psychology, the law, and research methodology."
Effects of asymmetry in far fields of permanent magnet motors

Summary form only given. Permanent magnet machines are being considered for use in electric ships as pumps and drives. The exterior fields of these machines are of concern. These fields decay at a rate that depends on the number of poles, fields from higher number of poles decaying more rapidly. If there is an imbalance in the set of poles, the lower order decay of the unbalanced poles dominate in the far field and the advantage of using a high number of poles could be lost.
CAD tools for microprocessor design in the deep submicron era

This paper covers the design flow and CAD tools needed to design a modern microprocessor. It reviews the existing tools for the logical and physical design of microprocessors, and then focuses on the changes and extensions to those tools needed to cope with deep submicron processes.
Molecular Imaging Using Fluorescence and Bioluminescence to Reveal Tissue Response to Laser-Mediated Thermal Injury

For decades biological investigation has focused on a reductionist approach, which has greatly advanced our understanding of the biological process, but has also served to move the analysis further and further away from the living body. This was necessary as we sought to identify the cells, genes, mutations and/or etiological agents that were associated with a given process. The information generated through these approaches can now be used to advance more integrative strategies in which specific cellular and molecular events can be studied in context of the functional circulation and intact organ systems of living animals, and humans. Essential tools for integrative analyses of biology include imaging modalities that enable visualization of structure and function in the living body. The relatively recent development of molecular probes as exogenous contrast agents and reporter genes that encode proteins with unique properties that can be distinguished from tissues and cells has ushered in a new set of approaches that are being called molecular imaging.
Cryogenic/sub-ambient cooling of electronics: revisited

Operation of electronic devices at cryogenic temperatures has been considered a compelling option for enhancing their performance since long. Literature abounds with studies on cooling of electronics using liquid nitrogen from pool boiling to single and two-phase jet impingement. In spite of the performance benefits and the existing knowledgebase, attempts to operate microprocessors at cryogenic/sub-ambient temperature have not met with commercial success. Instead, scaling of CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) devices through reduction of gate length has proved to be a more viable option over the past few decades. However, as lithography scales approach a few times the atomic dimensions ("5 nm node"), further performance enhancement using traditional approaches may not be possible. Even at "50 nm" technology node, the sub-threshold power becomes comparable to the active power, due to the increase in leakage current at small gate lengths. As a result, operating electronic devices at low temperature again emerges as an attractive approach to performance enhancement. In the present work, a model for comparing different candidate technologies for realizing sub-ambient cooling is presented. Using this model, some promising candidate refrigeration technologies are analyzed. Continued interest in the use of liquid nitrogen for electronics cooling is reviewed. Some technologies, which can be used for integration of cryocoolers to electronic chips, are discussed.
Arteriovenous malformation animal model for radiosurgery: the rete mirabile.

PURPOSE To study the effects of single-dose radiation on the porcine rete mirabile, a tangle of microvessels that mimics human arteriovenous malformations of the brain. METHODS Eight retia mirabilia received a single dose of radiation under stereotactic location with digital angiography and CT. The following doses were applied: 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90 Gy. The animals were followed up for a period of 7 months. Findings at neurologic examination, serial angiography, and histopathologic examination were analyzed. RESULTS Progressive occlusion as observed by angiography corresponded to the histopathologic finding of intimal hyperplasia; that is, marked thickening of the vessel wall, progressing to occlusion of the vascular lumen, and associated thrombosis. A direct dose response was noted for these changes. Neurologic findings were related to the dose distribution and to histologic findings in structures adjacent to the rete mirabile. CONCLUSION The rete mirabile is an excellent model by which to study the radiologic and histologic effects of single-dose radiation to the microvasculature of the central nervous system.
How to Play a Feminist

Feminism is all work and no play. And after all, why should "play" matter to a series of serious social movements? While First Wave Feminism focused on suffrage, and Second Wave Feminism focused on getting women ahead in the workplace, many of the more recent fractured feminist movements have continued to ignore the importance of play and leisure in everyday lives. This all-work-and-no-play focus has ricocheted to future feminisms: none have successfully reclaimed leisure and play. But play has countless implications that exceed the boundaries of frivolity: in order for a women's movement to ultimately be successful, playful dispositions need to be integrated into politics, technology, workplaces, sports, and families. Ultimately in this essay (through a combination of academic research and personal manifesto), I will show that not only is the personal political, but the playful can be political, too.
Cystic lung disease: Achieving a radiologic diagnosis

Diffuse cystic lung disease represents a diverse group of uncommon disorders with characteristic appearance on high resolution CT imaging. The combination of imaging appearance with clinical features and genetic testing where appropriate permits a confident and accurate diagnosis in the majority of the diseases without recourse for open lung biopsy. The mechanism of cyst development disease is unclear but in some disorders appears to be related to small airways obstruction. These diseases are incurable, with the exception of Langerhans cell histiocytosis which may spontaneously remit or resolve on smoking cessation. Disease progression is unpredictable; in general older patients have a more benign disease, while young patients may progress rapidly to respiratory failure. An understanding of the complications of cystic lung disease and the appearance of disease progression is essential for the management of these patients. A number of these disorders are associated with malignancy, recognition of the potential tumors permits appropriate imaging surveillance. Due to the widespread use of CT, pulmonary cysts are increasingly discovered incidentally in an asymptomatic individual. The diagnostic challenge is to determine whether these cysts represent an early feature of a progressive disease or have no clinical significance. In the elderly population the cysts are unlikely to represent a progressive disease. In individuals <50 years further evaluation is recommended.
A patient satisfaction survey for haemophilia treatment centres.

Summary. The importance of patient satisfaction has continued to grow such that patient satisfaction is now viewed as a vital component of health-care delivery. This is evidenced by the expanding body of research in the area and the use of measures of patient satisfaction as indicators of health-care quality. The value of patient satisfaction is particularly apparent in the setting of chronic disease where medical care utilization is high, compliance with therapy is critical and the patient–provider relationship is often long-term. Although several validated tools exist to quantify general measures of patient satisfaction, there is a recognized need for disease-specific instruments. Not only are there issues that are unique to haemophilia, but many patients receive care via a specialized comprehensive clinic model. The authors were unaware of an instrument that could adequately address patient satisfaction issues specific to haemophilia; thus, they undertook to develop one. The patient satisfaction survey presented here contains fixed-choice, Likert-scale and open-ended questions adapted from previously validated questionnaires. Assessment of face validity and internal consistency indicate that the survey is measuring one underlying construct – patient satisfaction. Information acquired through this survey will provide a quantitative assessment of patient satisfaction within a clinic population of persons with bleeding disorders and could be used to guide decisions regarding provision of health-care services.
Controlled study of erythrocyte choline in Tourette syndrome.

Abstract Erythrocyte and plasma choline parameters were compared in children (n = 63), aged 6–18 years, suffering from Tourette Syndrome (TS), their parents (n = 57), their unaffected siblings (n = 38), and an adult control group (n = 57). Factors such as severity of illness, medication status, and gender had no effect on erythrocyte choline. TS patients showed elevations in erythrocyte choline level compared to controls. Furthermore, the erythrocyte choline concentration in TS patients with a history of TS or chronic motor tic disorder (CMT) in first-degree relatives showed a positive correlation with that of their parents (r 2 = 0.6, p
CNS metastases in small cell bronchogenic carcinoma: increasing frequency and changing pattern with lengthening survival.

The records of 209 patients with small cell bronchogenic carcinoma were reviewed to define the problem of CNS metastases. CNS metastases were documented in 102 of these patients (49%) and 55 of 85 autopsied patients had CNS metastases (65%). The probability of developing a CNS metastasis increased with lengthening patient survival to a level of 80% after 2 years. As in other series, the cerebrum was the most frequently involved site. In addition, leptomeningeal, spinal, pituitary, and cerebellar metastases, and multiple sites of involvement were far more common than in previously reported series. Patients with bone marrow and liver metastases at initial staging were more likely to develop CNS metastases than those without these metastases. Bone marrow involvement was strongly associated with the development of leptomeningitis. Systemic chemotherapeutic agents which cross the blood brain barrier did not prevent the high frequency of CNS metastases. Pathologic studies suggested cerebral and leptomeningeal metastases may arise via hematogenous spread or via penetrating vessels from bone marrow to the subarachnoid space. Therapy for CNS metastases provided adequate palliation, and the majority of deaths were due to systemic rather than neurologic disease. Nevertheless, prophylactic therapy appears necessary at present to prevent the morbidity associated with these metastases. As further improvements in systemic therapy evolve, CNS prophylaxis may also be required for “cure” of patients with small cell lung cancer.
The Spectral Reflectivity of Select Areas on Europa

The July 12, 1973, occultation of Europa by Io was observed in 30 wavelength channels in the spectral region between 3200 and 11,000 A with the 200-inch Hale telescope and a multichannel spectrometer. The data are presented in absolute units above the earth's atmosphere and are analyzed to obtain the spectral reflectivity of seven localized areas on the disk of Europa centered on 324 deg W longitude. The equatorial material is confirmed to be darker than the eastward-skewed bright north polar cap and a hint is evident that the darker material may be somewhat redder than the cap material.
Novel Jumbo Biopsy Forceps for Surveillance of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Comparative Retrospective Assessment

Background and Study Aims. Most available jumbo cup forceps require a 3.7 mm biopsy channel, necessitating the use of standard-sized colonoscope. A newer jumbo forceps (Radial Jaw 4 Jumbo Biopsy Forceps [RJ4]) fits within a 3.2 mm biopsy channel, allowing use with a pediatric colonoscope. To assure the RJ4 did not alter biopsy adequacy, we compared the size and quality of specimens to a historical jumbo cup forceps (Radial Jaw 3 Max Capacity Biopsy Forceps, [RJ3 MC]). Patients and Methods. A retrospective comparative study of biopsies taken with either forceps. Biopsies were compared for diameter, depth, crush artifact, and acceptability for diagnosis. Results. 333 specimens were taken with RJ4 and 335 specimens with the RJ3 MC. Mean sample diameter was 4.45 mm and 4.55 mm for the RJ4 and RJ3 MC (𝑃=0.41). Mean depth of biopsies with the RJ4 was greater (𝑃<0.01). Conclusions. Biopsies from the RJ4 are similar in size and quality to biopsies from the RJ3 MC. The RJ4 has the advantage of fitting in a smaller biopsy channel.
Trial of a new acellular pertussis vaccine in healthy adult volunteers.

Abstract Immunogenicity and reactogenicity of a new acellular pertussis vaccine were tested in healthy adults. The vaccine contained three constituents of Bordetella pertussis ; filamentous haemagglutinin, pertussis toxin (PT) and fimbriae bearing agglutinogens 2 and 3. The constituents were separately purified, treated with formadehyde and combined with one of two aluminium adjuvants. Subjects received one dose of vaccine or an appropriate adjuvant-only preparation and were monitored for clinical responses for 7 days. Results with the two forms of vaccine were similar. Of 35 vaccinees, none had a temperature higher than 37°C or a severe reaction, one had a moderate reaction (possibly due in part to intercurrent infection) and nine had mild reactions confined to localized discomfort and/or erythema or induration at the injection site. All vaccinees had good serum antibody responses to vaccine antigens measured by ELISA and for PT, by neutralization of its effects on Chinese hamster ovary cells.
Photoresist development modeling based on continuity equations

In this paper, we propose a model to simulate photoresist development based on continuity equations. In the resist dissolution process, to consider different components (developer, resist, reaction by-product, etc.), each component's local concentration is described by the continuity equation. The resist development process is viewed as the diffusion-reaction process of all components involved in the dissolution process. A simulation program has been written based on the above concept. The simulation for different previous existing models are discussed.
Acid rain study: Do it again

James Mahoney, newly appointed head of the Reagan administration's National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program (NAPAP), got a writing assignment last week from Rep. James Scheuer (D-N.Y.) , a subcommittee chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology (SST). At a hearing on April 27, 1988, Mahoney agreed to Scheuer's request that he rewrite by Labor Day the executive summary o f an interim report o n NAPAP's progress that was submitted to Congress during September 1987. The summary, written by Mahoney's predecessor, J. Laurence Kulp, was immediately criticized by scientists, legislators, and environmental groups as a distortion of facts and a whitewash of the scientific conclusions of the interim report. Kulp resigned within a week of the summary's release.
Verification of Patch- and Regional-Scale Energy Balance Estimates Derived from Microwave and Optical Remote Sensing during SGP97

Abstract The 1997 Southern Great Plains Hydrology Experiment (SGP97) was designed and conducted to extend surface soil moisture retrieval algorithms based on passive microwave observations to coarser resolutions, larger regions with more diverse conditions, and longer time periods. The L-band Electronically Scanned Thinned Array Radiometer (ESTAR) on an airborne platform was used for daily mapping of surface soil moisture over an area of approximately 40 km × 260 km for a 1-month period. Results showed that the soil moisture retrieval algorithm performed the same as in previous investigations, demonstrating consistency of both the retrieval and the instrument. This soil moisture product at 800-m pixel resolution together with land use and fractional vegetation cover information is used in a remote sensing model for computing spatially distributed fluxes over the SGP97 domain. Validation of the model output is performed at the patch scale using tower-based measurements and at regional scale using aircraft ...
Correlations of purinergic, cholinergic and adrenergic functions in rabbit corporal cavernosal tissue.

Erection involves cholinergic, adrenergic as well as non-cholinergic non-adrenergic nerves. Endothelial-derived relaxation factor plays an important role in mediating smooth muscle relaxation, which is crucial in initiating and maintaining erection. We previously showed that adenosine 5’-triphosphate (ATP) can induce significant relaxation in rabbit corporal cavernosal tissue. The present study presents effects of different neuron-transmitters and the role of endothelium in controlling the contractile/relaxant status of rabbit cavernosal tissue. These studies utilized isolated tissue strips prepared from the corpus cavernosum of sexually mature male New Zealand white rabbits. The results can be summarized as follows: (1) field stimulation caused relaxations with rebound contractions in most strips; (2) bethanechol (250 μM), isoproterenol (20 μM) and ATP (1 mM) all induced relaxations, though the relaxation induced by bethanechol was poorly sustained; (3) removal of the endothelium by rubbing decreased the relaxation to field stimulation and virtually eliminated the relaxation induced by bethanechol, but had no effect on the relaxation responses to isoproterenol and ATP; (4) methoxamine (200 μM) stimulated a sustained contraction of corporal cavernosal tissue, an effect unaltered by rubbing the strips; (5) low dose epinephrine induced relaxation, whereas higher concentrations contracted the tissue, and (6) β-adrenergic inhibition with propranolol (20 μM) was significantly more effective than mascarinic blockade with atropine (20 μM) in eliminating relaxation caused by field stimulation. Three conclusions can be drawn from this study: (l)ATP (purinergic innervation) may play an important role in erectile physiology, and its actions are independent of the endothelium, as well as cholinergic and adrenergic neurotransmission; (2) muscarinically induced cavernosal relaxation is endothelium-dependent, but constitutes a relatively minor portion of the relaxant response to electric stimulation, and (3) β-adrenergic stimulation constitutes a relatively prominent component of field stimulation-induced relaxation, and cavernosal β-adrenoceptors are more sensitive to low levels of adrenergic stimulation than α-adrenoceptors.
On the probability distribution of the values of binary trees

An integral equation is derived for the generating function for binary tree values, the values reflecting sorting effort. The analysis does not assume uniformly distributed branching ratios, and therefore is applicable to a family of sorting algorithms discussed by Hoare, Singleton, and van Emden. The solution to the integral equation indicates that using more advanced algorithms in the family makes only minor reductions in the expected sorting efforts, but substantially reduces the variance in sorting effort.Statistical tests of the values of several thousand trees containing up to 10,000 points have given first, second, and third moments of the value distribution function in satisfactory agreement with the moments computed from the generating function. The empirical tests, as well as the analytical results, are in agreement with previously pubished results for the first moment in the cases of uniform and nonuniform distribution of branching ratio, and for the second moment in the case of uniform distribution of branching ratio.
Varicella-related hospitalizations in the vaccine era.

Background and aim. Varicella is normally a self-limited disease of childhood that does not require hospitalization. In the prevaccine era varicella caused >9000 hospitalizations per year. To determine whether the varicella vaccine, licensed in 1995, has decreased hospitalizations because of varicella, we examined national rates of varicella-related hospital discharges (VRHD) covering a 12-year period that included pre- and postvaccine data. Methods. Data from the 1988 to 1999 National Hospital Discharge Survey and population estimates from the National Center for Health Statistics were used to calculate biennial rates of VRHD. To control for coding consistency, rates of invasive disease caused by Haemophilus influenzae were calculated for the same time period. Results. The rate of VRHD for 1998 to 1999 (4.42 hospitalizations per 100 000 person-years) was the lowest of any of the periods measured, but this difference was not statistically significant. The same was true of VRHD limited to cases with varicella coded as the primary diagnosis. A trend toward a decrease in VRHD was observed in all age groups examined, although none was statistically significant. Calculated rates from this national data set were in agreement with prior studies using active surveillance, and the previously documented fall in hospitalizations caused by invasive H. influenzae disease was demonstrated using these methods. Conclusions. Although it is uncommon for children with varicella to require hospitalization, these cases are an important contributor to cost and morbidity of varicella. In contrast to predictions of prelicensure mathematical models, there has not been a significant decrease in total or first diagnosis VRHD since the vaccine became available. Current coverage levels are below those used in prelicensure models. Increased acceptance of the varicella vaccine by parents and practitioners may aid in the further decrease of varicella-related hospitalizations.
Quintile stratification based on a misspecified propensity score in longitudinal treatment effectiveness analyses of ordinal doses

The propensity adjustment provides a strategy to reduce the bias in treatment effectiveness analyses that compare non-equivalent groups such as seen in observational studies [Rosenbaum P.R., Rubin D.B., 1983. The central role of the propensity score in observational studies for causal effects. Biometrika 70, 41-55]. The objective of this simulation study is to examine the effect of omitting confounding variables from the propensity score on the quintile-stratified propensity adjustment in a longitudinal study. The primary focus was the impact of a misspecified propensity score on bias. Three features of the omitted confounding variables were examined: type of predictor variable (binary vs. continuous), constancy over time (time-varying vs. time-invariant), and magnitude of the association with treatment and outcome (null, small, and large odds ratios). The simulation results indicate that omission of continuous, time-varying confounders that are strongly associated with treatment and outcome (i.e., an odds ratio of 1.75) adversely impacts bias, coverage, and type I error. Omitted time-varying continuous variables had somewhat more effect on bias than omitted binary variables. Time-invariant confounding variables that are not included in the propensity score have a much less effect on results. This evaluation only examined continuous treatment effectiveness outcomes and the propensity scores used for stratification included just four variables. Relative to the use of the propensity adjustment in applied settings that typically comprise numerous potential confounding variables, the impact of one omitted continuous, time-varying confound in this simulation study could be overstated.
Concentrated ring loadings in a full space or half space: solutions for transverse isotropy and isotropy

In this analysis solutions for concentrated ring loading in a transversely isotropic full space or half space are found. The elastic field is derived by integrating the known fundamental point force solutions along a circular ring. Three cases of ring loading are considered. Taking the z axis along the material axis (the z = 0 plane is the isotropic plane), the first case studied is when the ring load is in the z direction, referred to as normal loading. The other two cases are shear ring loads directed in the plane of isotropy. In the first instance, the ring load is unidirectional and independently applied in either the x or y direction. The second case considers the axisymmetric radial and axisymmetric torsional ring loads. The solution for ring loading applied to the surface of a half space is first obtained. Subsequently the solutions for ring loading in a full space and buried ring loads in a half space are found. In all cases the elastic displacement and stress fields are evaluated in terms of closed form expressions containing complete elliptic integrals of the first, second and third kinds. An interesting feature of the full space solution is that the potential function and its radial derivatives exhibit a cylindrical discontinuity for negative z values. However, it is shown that these discontinuous functions do provide continuous displacement and stress fields. A limiting form of the solutions for transverse isotropy also provides the corresponding results for isotropic materials.
ORANGE JUICE COLOR MEASUREMENT USING GENERAL PURPOSE TRISTIMULUS COLORIMETERS

Several general purpose calorimeters were found which under the proper sample presentation conditions could successfully be used for orange juice color measurement in place of special purpose Hunterlab citrus calorimeter. Correlations of better than 0.98 were achieved for multiple regression equations for Agtron abridged spectrophotometer, sphere collector calorimeters, and 0.45° viewing calorimeters as compared with the citrus calorimeter color scores for 101 samples. This paper presents the methods used, regression equations, and possible reasons why certain sample presentation methods were more successful than others.
STRAIN DISTRIBUTIONS IN THE JOINTS OF SANDWICH COMPOSITE STRUCTURES

The objective of this study is to determine the strain distributions in the joints of vessel structures constructed of cored composites. Three bulkhead-to-hull joint configurations representing common building practice are tested by loading each joint in compression until failure. Three different core materials-- linear foam, cross-linked foam, and Balsa-- are used in this experiment so that the effect of core material on strain distribution can be determined for each joint configuration. The method chosen for obtaining the strain data is the Moire analysis method. Use of this method permits quantitative and qualitative determination of the strains in the core of the joint structure. An accurate picture of the strain distribution in the joint of a sandwich composite is thereby obtained.
The effects of size and color cues on the delayed response of very young children

Sixteen children each at 18, 24, 30, and 36 months of age participated in a four-choice delayed reaction task to assess memory for location of a hidden object. On one-third of the trials, only place cues were available; on another third, size cues were added; on the remaining third, color cues were added. All age groups benefited from added visual cues on the test trials, with size cues being particularly facilitating. At the end of the test trials, two additional trials were presented in which the size or color cues were surreptitiously switched so that they were no longer redundant with place cues. Only the oldest children were likely to respond directly to a visual cue when in conflict with place cues. The results support a developmental model suggesting a shift from reliance on place cues. to greater reliance on other associated visual cues, in memory for locating a hidden object.
American Compact: James Madison and the Problem of Founding

For students of the early American republic, James Madison has long been something of a riddle, the member of the founding generation whose actions and thought most stubbornly resist easy summary. The staunchest of Federalists in the 1780s, Madison would turn on his former allies shortly thereafter, renouncing their expansive nationalism as a threat to the Constitution and to popular government. In a study that combines penetrating textual analysis with deep historical awareness, Gary Rosen stakes out important new ground by showing the philosophical consistency in Madison's long and controversial public life. The key, he argues, is Madison's profound originality as a student of the social compact, the venerable liberal idea into which he introduced several novel, and seemingly illiberal, principles. Foremost among these was the need for founding to be the work of an elite few. For Madison, prior accounts of the social compact, in their eagerness to establish the proper ends of government, provided a hopelessly naive account of its origin. As he saw it, the Federal Convention of 1787 was an opportunity for those of outstanding prudence (understood in its fullest Aristotelian sense) to do for the people what they could not do for themselves. This troublesome reliance on the few was balanced, Rosen contends, by Madison's commitment to republicanism as an end in itself, a conclusion that he likewise drew from the social compact, accommodating the proud political claims that his philosophical predecessors had failed to recognize. Rosen goes on to show how Madison's idiosyncratic understanding of the social compact illuminates his differences not only with Hamilton but with Jefferson as well. Both men, Madison feared, were too ready to resort to original principles in coming to terms with the Constitution, putting at risk the fragile achievement of the founding in their determination to invoke, respectively, the claims of the few and the many. "As American Compact" persuasively concludes, Madison's ideas on the origin and aims of the Constitution are not just of historical interest. They carry crucial lessons for our own day, and speak directly to current disputes over diversity, constitutional interpretation, the fate of federalism, and the possibilities and limits of American citizenship.
A comparative analysis of coordinated neuronal activity in the thalamic ventrobasal complex of rats and cats.

There are substantial differences in the incidence of inhibitory neurons in the ventrobasal complex of rat and cat thalamus. This marked dissimilarity in neuronal composition suggests that there should be corresponding differences in the orchestration of neural activity in these regions during cutaneous stimulation. To explore this possibility, we conducted a cross-correlation analysis of neuronal activity in the ventroposterolateral (VPL) nucleus of anesthetized rats and cats. Pairs of neurons representing hairy skin were recorded simultaneously with one or two electrodes during air jet stimulation of multiple sites throughout the receptive fields. Cross-correlation histograms indicated that correlated activity among adjacent neurons occurred in three distinct patterns. In one pattern, classified as narrow-unimodal, the discharge of one neuron preceded a discharge in the partner neuron over a narrow interval of time ( 5 ms). In rat VPL, two-thirds of the 58 neuron pairs showing correlated responses were characterized by narrow-unimodal responses and nearly one-third of the neuron pairs displayed narrow-bimodal patterns. Only one pair of rat VPL neurons were characterized by a wide-unimodal pattern of coordination. By comparison, half of the 61 adjacent neuron pairs with coordinated responses in cat VPL were characterized by narrow-unimodal patterns. Slightly more than one-third of the correlated neuron pairs had narrow-bimodal patterns, while the remainder (13%) were classified as wide-unimodal responses. Pairs of neurons separated by 340-405 microns discharged synchronously in a pattern that was similar to the temporal relationship expressed in the narrow-bimodal patterns found among adjacent neurons. In both species, the wide-unimodal patterns had the strongest coordinated responses as measured by the correlation coefficient. Although inhibitory relationships did not appear in correlation histograms that had been corrected for stimulus coordination, cross-correlation analysis of the raw spike trains revealed brief (10-40 ms) periods of inhibition that were associated with cat VPL neurons exhibiting wide-unimodal coordination patterns. In rat VPL, most inhibition involved longer (30-60 ms) periods of inhibitory oscillations appearing amidst a much larger rhythmic pattern. These results suggest that correlation patterns transpiring over narrow (< 5 ms) time intervals represent the coordination of activity among neighboring thalamocortical relay neurons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)