cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of a statewide computed tomography scan educational campaign on radiation dose and repeat CT scan rates for transferred injured children.

Purpose: Research demonstrates that children receive twice as much medical radiation from Computed Tomography (CT) scans performed at non-pediatric facilities as equivalent CTs performed at pediatric trauma centers (PTCs). In 2014, AFMC outreach staff educated Emergency Department (ED) staff on appropriate CT imaging utilization to reduce unnecessary medical radiation exposure. We set out to determine the educational campaign’s impact on injured children received radiation dose. Methods: All injured children who underwent CT imaging and were transferred to a Level I PTC during 2010 to 2013 (pre-campaign) and 2015 (post-campaign) were reviewed. Patient demographics, mode of transportation, ED length of stay, scanned body region, injury severity score, and trauma center level were analyzed. Median effective radiation dose (ERD) controlled for each variable, pre-campaign and post-campaign, was compared using Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results: Three hundred eighty-five children under 17 years were transferred from 45 and 48 hospitals, pre- and post-campaign. Most (43%) transferring hospitals were urban or critical access hospitals (30%). Pre- and post-campaign patient demographics were similar. We analyzed 482 and 398 CT scans pre- and post-campaign. Overall, median ERD significantly decreased from 3.80 to 2.80. Abdominal CT scan ERD declined significantly from 7.2 to 4.13 (P-value 0.03). Head CT scan ERD declined from 3.27 to 2.45 (P-value < 0.0001). Conclusion: A statewide, CT scan educational campaign contributed to ERD decline (lower dose scans and fewer repeat scans) among transferred injured children seen at PTCs. State-level interventions are feasible and can be effective in changing radiology provider practices.
Maternal heat stress reduces body and organ growth in calves: Relationship to immune status

Abstract Late-gestation heat stress of dairy cows reduces fetal growth and influences postnatal performance and immune status of the offspring. Our first objective was to evaluate the effect of in utero heat stress on overall fetal and organ growth, particularly organs associated with immune function. The second objective was to examine the cellular mechanism of altered passive immunity in neonatal bull calves after in utero heat stress. Specifically, we examined the rate of apoptosis of intestinal cells early in life, as it is associated with gut closure. Dams were dried off approximately 45 d before expected calving and randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: heat stress (HT) or cooling (CL). During the dry period all cows were housed under shade in a freestall barn, where the pen for CL cows was equipped with active cooling, including water soakers and fans, whereas the pen for HT cows had no soakers or fans. Using rectal temperature and respiration rate as indicators, heat stress was severe. Average rectal temperature in HT cows was 39.3°C compared with 39.0°C in CL cows, and HT cows had a respiration rate of 66.7 breaths/min compared with 43.2 breaths/min for CL cows. Bull calves (n = 30) were immediately separated from their dams at birth, weighed, and then killed before colostrum feeding (n = 5/treatment; d 0) or at 1 or 2 d of age following colostrum feeding (n = 5/treatment per day). After slaughter, the small intestine was removed and weighed, and samples from the jejunum were fixed for immunohistochemistry. Birth weight of bulls from HT dams was 1.1 kg lower than that of bulls from CL dams. Thymus, spleen, and heart weights of HT bulls were lower relative to those of CL bulls, whereas liver weight of HT bulls tended to be lower relative to that of CL bulls. Jejunal cell apoptosis decreased with age in both HT and CL calves after birth, mirroring gut closure. However, in utero heat stress increased the apoptotic rate in the jejunum, particularly at birth. We conclude that the chronic exposure to heat strain of HT compared with CL dams in late gestation significantly affected fetal growth and immune tissue development, which may be associated with reduced immune function in early life. Also, late-gestation heat stress increased calves' intestinal apoptosis in the first 2 d of life, which might explain the decreased IgG uptake and limited passive immune competence observed in previous studies.
Summary of Articles on Abusive Captive Insurance Companies

Following up on Prof; Beckett G. Cantley' presentation at BYU on the current abuses he's seen related to Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) 831(b) Captive Insurance Companies (“CIC”), this memorandum (“memo”) summarizes some of his published law review articles in the area. There seems to be a significant amount of such abusive activity in the Intermountain West region, with promoters advocating the use of CICs in ways the IRS will be unlikely to tolerate, and without the economic substance essential to withstand an IRS attack. This memo is written in hopes of preventing CPAs and other professionals from being unwittingly drawn into an IRS battle they did not anticipate. This memo sets forth some of the primary ways in which promoters operate, analyzes the law and policy surrounding their course of action, and the likely result of IRS attack on the taxpayer. In particular, this memo discusses some of the issues that may develop with the IRS that are typically not raised with CIC clients or their professionals. Some of these problem areas include: (1) life insurance as an “investment” of the CIC; (2) the risks posed by the IRS offshore crackdown; (3) excessive premiums & terrorism insurance; and (4) estate planning ownership structures.
Detecting bad actors in value-based payment models.

The U.S. federal government is spending billions of dollars to test a multitude of new approaches to pay for healthcare. Unintended consequences are a major consideration in the testing of these value-based payment (VBP) models. Since participation is generally voluntary, any unintended consequences may be magnified as VBP models move beyond the early testing phase. In this paper, we propose a straightforward unsupervised outlier detection approach based on ranked percentage changes to identify participants (e.g., healthcare providers) whose behavior may represent an unintended consequence of a VBP model. The only data requirements are repeated measurements of at least one relevant variable over time. The approach is generalizable to all types of VBP models and participants and can be used to address undesired behavior early in the model and ultimately help avoid undesired behavior in scaled-up programs. We describe our approach, demonstrate how it can be applied with hypothetical data, and simulate how efficiently it detects participants who are truly bad actors. In our hypothetical case study, the approach correctly identifies a bad actor in the first period in 86% of simulations and by the second period in 96% of simulations. The trade-off is that 9% of honest participants are mistakenly identified as bad actors by the second period. We suggest several ways for researchers to mitigate the rate or consequences of these false positives. Researchers and policymakers can customize and use our approach to appropriately guard VBP models against undesired behavior, even if only by one participant.
Mechanisms of BRCA1-BARD1 nucleosome recognition and ubiquitylation.

The BRCA1–BARD1 tumour suppressor is an E3 ubiquitin ligase necessary for the repair of DNA double-strand breaks by homologous recombination1–10. The BRCA1–BARD1 complex localizes to damaged chromatin after DNA replication and catalyses the ubiquitylation of histone H2A and other cellular targets11–14. The molecular bases for the recruitment to double-strand breaks and target recognition of BRCA1–BARD1 remain unknown. Here we use cryo-electron microscopy to show that the ankyrin repeat and tandem BRCT domains in BARD1 adopt a compact fold and bind to nucleosomal histones, DNA and monoubiquitin attached to H2A amino-terminal K13 or K15, two signals known to be specific for double-strand breaks15,16. We further show that RING domains17 in BRCA1–BARD1 orient an E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme atop the nucleosome in a dynamic conformation, primed for ubiquitin transfer to the flexible carboxy-terminal tails of H2A and variant H2AX. Our work reveals a regulatory crosstalk in which recognition of monoubiquitin by BRCA1–BARD1 at the N terminus of H2A blocks the formation of polyubiquitin chains and cooperatively promotes ubiquitylation at the C terminus of H2A. These findings elucidate the mechanisms of BRCA1–BARD1 chromatin recruitment and ubiquitylation specificity, highlight key functions of BARD1 in both processes and explain how BRCA1–BARD1 promotes homologous recombination by opposing the DNA repair protein 53BP1 in post-replicative chromatin18–22. These data provide a structural framework to evaluate BARD1 variants and help to identify mutations that drive the development of cancer. The authors elucidate the mechanisms for the ubiquitylation specificity and recruitment of the ubiquitin ligase complex BRCA1–BARD1 to damaged DNA within chromatin to facilitate homologous recombination.
Alternative methods for feline fertility control: Use of melatonin to suppress reproduction

Practical relevance:Reversible contraceptives are highly desired by purebred cat breeders for managing estrous cycles and by scientists managing assisted reproduction programs. A variety of alterna...
Transformation of Simian Virus 40-resistant Hamster Cells with an Adenovirus 7-Simian Virus 40 Hybrid

Abstract When the hamster cell lines BHK21 and Nil-2 were infected at a multiplicity of 100 with the adenovirus 7-simian virus 40 (SV40) hybrid (strain LLE46), SV40 T antigen was induced in 0.1 to 6% of the cells during the first 96 hr postinfection, morphological changes occurred 3 to 7 weeks later, and eventually all the cells contained SV40 T antigen, but no adeno 7 T antigen. Results were similar when primary and secondary monolayer cultures of hamster embryo (HE) cells were infected with the adeno 7-SV40 hybrid, and when primary HE cells were infected with SV40. However, infection of BHK21, Nil-2, and secondary HE cells with the same multiplicity of SV40 did not induce SV40 T antigen or morphological transformation. This suggests that the target cells required for infection with SV40 virions, but not those required for infection with the hybrid, are lost or altered in secondary HE cultures and in the two cell lines. In most of the virus-host cell systems in which SV40 T antigen and transformation were induced, there was a decrease in the number of T antigen-positive cells after the initial infection. This was followed by a lag period of up to 2 months before the onset of a progressive increase in the number of positive cells. The beginning of the rise in T antigen production coincided with the first morphological changes.
Schwarz meets schwann: design and fabrication of biomorphic tissue engineering scaffolds

Tissue engineering is a discipline at the leading edge of the field of computer assisted intervention. This multidisciplinary engineering science is based on the notion of design and fabrication of scaffolds- porous, three-dimensional "trellis-like" biomimetic structures that, on implantation, provide a viable environment to recuperate and regenerate damaged cells. Existing CAD-based approaches produce porous labyrinths with contra-naturam straight edges. The biomorphic geometry that mimics the secundam-naturam substrate would be one that is continuous through all space, partitioned into two not-necessarily-equal sub-spaces by a non-intersecting, two-sided surface. Minimal surfaces are ideal to describe such a space. We present results on the premier attempt in computer controlled fabrication and mechanical characterization of Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces [TPMS]. This initiative is a significant step to link Schwann’s 1838 cell theory with Schwarz’s discovery of TPMS in 1865 to fabricate the previously elusive optimal biomorphic tissue analogs.
Simultaneous Equation Estimation: Overview

This article is reproduced from the previous edition, volume 21, pp. 14106–14110, © 2001, Elsevier Ltd., with an updated Bibliography section supplied by the Editor.
Off-Resonance Pulse Propagation in a Two-Level System-Distance Dependence of the Carrier Frequency

Self-induced transparency1 (SIT) is a manifestation of distortionless pulse propagation of a traveling wave in the form of a pulse propagating through an inhomogeneously broadened two-quantum system. Although the carrier frequency in the pulse is at or near resonance with the quantum oscillators of the medium (assumed to be undamped), no pulse losses occur because the non-linear process of induced absorption during the first half portion of the pulse is balanced by induced emission during the second half of the pulse. This particular non-linear process neutralizes the pulse spreading and distortion which would normally be expected for a weak pulse, as predicted by linear optical dispersion theory.
Recognition and treatment of multifocal atrial tachycardia: a critical review.

Abstract Multifocal atrial tachycardia (MAT) is an uncommon but clinically important tachydysrhythmia that is usually seen in the setting of severe cardiopulmonary illness. Diagnostic criteria include the presence of at least three different, nonsinus P waves in the same lead; an atrial rate greater than 100 beats per minute; and an isoelectric baseline between P waves. MAT is often difficult to differentiate from atrial fibrillation. The pathogenesis of MAT is unknown; however, it is probably incited by “triggered” electrical activity, a form of abnormal automaticity. This electrophysiologic model has led to several small, uncontrolled clinical trials using calcium channel and beta-adrenergic blocking agents, specifically verapamil and metropolol. None of these trials meets rigorous methodologic standards, and all exclude unstable patients who are at greatest risk for hemodynamic compromise from the tachycardia. Treatment of MAT should first be directed at potential predisposing factors, such as hypoxia, congestive heart failure, and theophylllne toxicity. Pharmacologic treatment includes intravenous metoprolol or verapamil; in published reports both agents have been well tolerated and have controlled the heart rate in a majority of patients.
834 METHOTREXATE (MTX) EFFECTS ON CALCIUM TRANSPORT AND BONE MINERALIZATION IN ANIMALS

The appearance of rickets in a 6 year old girl receiving MTX for acute lymphatic leukemia prompted a study of the effects of this compound on calcium transport and bone mineralization in animal models. Five days after a single MTX dose (15 mg/M2 IP) rats showed a 75% decrease in TCa as measured in everted duodenal sacs. A second dose reduced TCa to 8% of the control value; it then increased gradually, reaching 78% 20 days after the second MTX dose.
Lunar photography: Techniques and results

The lunar photography missions have included flyby, impacter, lander, and orbiter spacecrafts. These missions have provided photographs of the far side of the moon and a ten-fold increase in frontside resolution plus higher resolution of selected frontside areas. The resolutions which have been achieved vary from 1 m for the Lunar Orbiter to 1/2 m for the impacting Ranger to millimeters for Luna-IX and the Surveyors. The return from these missions have resolved much of the mystery surrounding the moon.
Toxicokinetics of trimethyltin in four inbred strains of mice.

Sixteen week old male AKR/J, Balb/cByJ, C57B1/6J and DBA/2J mice received single i.p. injections of trimethyltin (TMT). The toxic effects were weight loss, hyperexcitability, tremor, clonic-tonic convulsion, posterior paresis and death. The minimum toxic dose was 1.8 mg/kg, for the AKR strain and 2.3 mg/kg for the other strains. The highest non-lethal dose was 2.7 mg/kg for the AKR, DBA/2 and C57B1/6 strains and 3.0 mg/kg for the Balb/c strain. Blood levels of TMT peaked within 1 h and declined with half-lives of approximately 1.5 days. Blood levels of TMT were lower in the C57B1/6 mice due to greater tissue binding of TMT in C57B1/6 mice. Some of the toxic endpoints showed different rank orders among the strains, leading us to conclude that more than one biological process is responsible for the acute toxic effects of TMT in mice.
Cooperation in Harsh Environments and the Emergence of Spatial Patterns

This paper concerns the confluence of two important areas of research in mathematical biology: spatial pattern formation and cooperative dilemmas. Mechanisms through which social organisms form spatial patterns are not fully understood. Prior work connecting cooperation and pattern formation has often included unrealistic assumptions that shed doubt on the applicability of those models toward understanding real biological patterns. I investigated a more biologically realistic model of cooperation among social actors. The environment is harsh, so that interactions with cooperators are strictly needed to survive. Harshness is implemented via a constant energy deduction. I show that this model can generate spatial patterns similar to those seen in many naturally-occuring systems. Moreover, for each payoff matrix there is an associated critical value of the energy deduction that separates two distinct dynamical processes. In low-harshness environments, the growth of cooperator clusters is impeded by defectors, but these clusters gradually expand to form dense dendritic patterns. In very harsh environments, cooperators expand rapidly but defectors can subsequently make inroads to form reticulated patterns. The resulting web-like patterns are reminiscent of transportation networks observed in slime mold colonies and other biological systems.
Exploitation and the expansion of capitalism: the case of the hammock industry of Yucatan

Relations of production in the hammock industry of Yucatan, Mexico, are analyzed using Marx's formula for rate of surplus-value to measure the exploitation of weavers by merchants. It is argued that the concept of exploitation is useful for analyzing societies in which noncapitalist modes of production are being incorporated into the global capitalist system, and that the exchange theory approach dominant in much of economic anthropology has obstructed the understanding of exploitative economic systems.
Some effects of neuraminidase on the in vitro interactions between spleen and mastocytoma (P815) cells.

A recently advanced generalization is that a sialomucin coat surrounding tumour cells protects them from immunological surveillance. We have therefore studied the effects of neuraminidase (sialidase) on the immunolysis of P815 mastocytoma cells by sensitized spleen cells, in vitro, to test this hypothesis. In a very sensitive system in which immunolysis was quantitated by measurements of the release of 51Cr from labelled P815 cells, neuraminidase treatment of the target cells did not demonstrably make them more susceptible to attack by spleen cells. Killing proceeded in spite of a substantial contribution of sialic acid moieties to the net negative surface charge of the untreated P815 cells, and was not enhanced by enzymatic removal of substantial amounts of their bound surface sialic acids, as determined by cell electrophoresis. Thus, the generalization cannot be substantiated by our experiments. An interesting positive finding was that neuraminidase treatment of the killer, spleen cell population, enhances the 51Cr-release from their targets. Quelques Effets de la Neuramidinase sur les Interactions in Vitro Entre les Cellules (P815) de Mastocytome et de Rate Selon une theorie recente, l'enveloppe de sialomucine qui entoure les cellules tumorales les protege de la surveillance immunologique. Nous avons donc etudie in vitro, pour verifier cette hypothese, les effets de la neuramidinase (sialidase) sur l'immunolyse des cellules P815 de mastocytome par des cellules spleniques sensibles. Dans un systeme tres sensible ou l'immunolyse a ete evaluee d'apres la quantite de 51Cr libere a partir des cellules P815 marquees, un traitement des cellules-cibles a la neuramidinase ne les a pas semble-t-il, rendues plus sensibles a l'attaque des cellules spleniques. Elles sont mortes en depit d'une contribution notable des fractions d'acides sialiques a la charge negative nette de la surface des cellules P815 non traitees, et le nombre de cellules mortes n'a pas augmente bien que les enzymes aient supprime des quantites considerables d'acides sialiques a la surface des cellules, comme l'a montre l'electrophorese cellulaire. Nos experiences ne corroborent donc pas la theorie en question. Nous avons fait une constatation interessante et positive: le traitement a la neuramidinase de la population de cellules spleniques qui tue les autres cellules intensifie la liberation de 51Cr a partir des cellules-cibles.
Generational differences in spouse similarity in educational attainment

A lesser degree of assortative mating for educational attainment is reported for parents than for maternal and paternal grandparents of the three major raciallethnic groups (persons of Chinese, European, and Japanese ancestries) who took part in the Hawaii Family Study of Cognition. Differences across generations are significant for persons of European and of Japanese ancestries but not for persons of Chinese ancestry. The data support the belief that there has been a secular change toward decreased homogamy.
Innervation of pathologies in the lumbar vertebral end plate and intervertebral disc

Abstract Background context Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has limited diagnostic value for chronic low back pain because of the unclear relationship between any anatomic abnormalities on MRI and pain reported by the patient. Assessing the innervation of end plate and disc pathologies—and determining the relationship between these pathologies and any abnormalities seen on MRI—could clarify the sources of back pain and help identify abnormalities with enhanced diagnostic value. Purpose To quantify innervation in the vertebral end plate and intervertebral disc and to relate variation in innervation to the presence of pathologic features observed by histology and conventional MRI. Study design/setting A cross-sectional histology and imaging study of vertebral end plates and intervertebral discs harvested from human cadaver spines. Methods We collected 92 end plates and 46 intervertebral discs from seven cadaver spines (ages 51–67 years). Before dissection, the spines were scanned with MRI to grade for Modic changes and high-intensity zones (HIZ). Standard immunohistochemical techniques were used to localize the general nerve marker protein gene product 9.5. We quantified innervation in the following pathologies: fibrovascular end-plate marrow, fatty end-plate marrow, end-plate defects, and annular tears. Results Nerves were present in the majority of end plates with fibrovascular marrow, fatty marrow, and defects. Nerve density was significantly higher in fibrovascular end-plate marrow than in normal end-plate marrow (p Conclusions These findings indicate that vertebral end-plate pathologies are more innervated than intervertebral disc pathologies and that many innervated end-plate pathologies are not detectable on MRI. Taken together, these findings suggest that improved visualization of end-plate pathologies could enhance the diagnostic value of MRI for chronic low back pain.
Aortic Valve Bypass for Aortic Stenosis in a Patient With Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare acquired bone marrow disorder characterized by hemolytic anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, hemoglobinuria, and venous thrombosis. Cardiopulmonary bypass-induced complement activation may be associated with exacerbation of hemolysis in patients with PNH undergoing cardiac operations. We describe a 77-year-old man with PNH and critical symptomatic aortic stenosis who underwent successful aortic valve bypass operation without cardiopulmonary bypass as an alternative to conventional aortic valve replacement.
Management of the Femoral Artery After Transluminal Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Catheter-based treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), in which an endograft is placed into the aneurysmal aorta through one or more femoral arteriotomies, is gaining acceptance rapidly. This technique has the advantage of avoiding the morbidity and prolonged recovery of conventional repair, but subjects the femoral arteries to significant surgical and catheter trauma that may compromise the outcome of the procedure. We review our experience with management of the femoral arteries following endovascular aneurysmal repair. Thirty patients undergoing endovascular repair of their AAA with the modular bifurcated Aneu Rxg (Medtronic AneuRx, Sunnyvale, CA) endovascular prosthesis had their femoral arteries exposed through bilateral groin incisions to permit insertion of the device. Proximal and distal control of the femoral arteries was achieved, and guidewire passage and sheath access obtained using standard angiographic techniques. The endovascular components, ensheathed in a 22F (primary device) or 16...
TWO TYPES OF WH-SCOPE MARKING IN PASSAMAQUODDY

There are two competing analyses of wh-scope marking in the world's languages: the direct dependency analysis, which posits LF movement of an embedded wh-phrase; and the indirect dependency analysis, which does not. I show here that both analyses are necessary to account for wh-scope marking: Passamaquoddy (Algonquian) actually possesses two different scope marking constructions, which I argue to differ in exactly the ways that would be expected if one were a direct dependency and the other an indirect dependency. The facts of Passamaquoddy also argue for a syntactic analysis of the indirect dependency that generates the scope marker and the embedded question as a constituent.
Entropy and Enthalpy Contributions to Solvent Effects onPhosphate Monoester Solvolysis. The Importance of Entropy Effects in the Dissociative TransitionState

The solvolysis reactions of a series of aryl phosphates in tert-butyl alcohol and in tert-amyl alcohol have been examined. The dianion of p-nitrophenyl phosphate reacts 7500- and 8750-fold faster in these solvents, respectively, than the corresponding aqueous reactions. The monoanion reacts 14- and 16-fold slower respectively in tert-butyl alcohol and in tert-amyl alcohol. Analysis of the activation parameters shows that the rate enhancement for the dianion is due solely to entropic factors, while the slower reaction of the monoanion is due to increased enthalpy of activation. The significantly more positive entropy of activation for the solvolysis of p-nitrophenyl phosphate dianion in tert-butyl alcohol supports the original proposal that racemization at phosphorus in this reaction is caused by a switch to a DN + AN mechanism, rather than subsequently proposed mechanisms which avoid the formation of metaphosphate. Rate enhancements of similar magnitudes are seen for the dianion reactions of all of the ar...
Effect of Elementary Phosphorus Upon the Epiphysis of the Albino Rat.

Summary and ConclusionsTwenty-two albino rats were given small amounts of elementary phosphorus supplementary to an adequate diet. Roentgenograms taken before and during the experimental period demonstrated the development of an area of increased density in the subepiphyseal region.Histologic studies revealed a failure of resorption of the usual number of primary epiphyseal trabeculae. Since bone was deposited upon these persistent spicules in an otherwise normal fashion an apparent sclerosis was produced. Although the degree of ossification was distinctly greater than normal there was no evidence of direct stimulation of osteoblastic activity. The lesion was dependent entirely upon the unusual preservation of mineralized cartilage. It was thought that the persistence of these primary trabeculae was related to the influence of elementary phosphorus deposited in this region.
Reactions of M{N(SiMe3)2}2 (M=Mn, Fe or Co) with pyridine and 4,4′-bipyridyl: structural and magnetic studies

Abstract The reactions of the aromatic nitrogen donor ligands pyridine (py) and 4,4′-bipyridyl (4,4′-bipy) with the transition metal silylamides M{N(SiMe3)2}2 (M=Mn, Fe or Co) were investigated. Treatment of the metal amides with pyridine afforded the bispyridine complexes M{N(SiMe3)2}(py)2 (M=Mn, 1a; Fe, 2a; Co, 3a). Distillation or sublimation of 2a or 3a afforded the monopyridine complexes M{N(SiMe3)2}2(py) (M=Fe, 2b; Co, 3b). The addition of pyrazine (prz) to Mn{N(SiMe3)2}2 also yielded the bispyrazine adduct Mn{N(SiMe3)2}2(prz)2, 1b. However, the reaction of 4,4′-bipyridyl with Fe{N(SiMe3)2}2 or Co{N(SiMe3)2}2 afforded the polymeric chain-like complexes {M{N(SiMe3)2}2(4,4′-bipy)}∞ (M=Fe, 4; Co, 5). With the exception of 2b, all complexes were characterized by X-ray crystallography. The complexes 1a, 1b, 2a and 3a displayed monomeric structures and metal geometries that are based on a tetrahedron with interligand angles that deviate markedly from idealized values. Complex 3b was found to have a distorted trigonal planar geometry. In contrast, complexes 4 and 5 displayed polymeric zig-zag chain structures which have four coordinate metal centers connected by 4,4′-bipyridyl ligands. Magnetic studies indicated that complexes 1–3b have high-spin electron configurations and that the paramagnetic centers in 4 and 5 did not interact with each other through the 4,4′-bipyridyl ligands.
Fiber requirements of dairy cows: optimum fiber level in lucerne-based diets for high producing cows

Data from an experiment with high producing dairy cows were used to obtain regression relationships for neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) as single dependent variables, with dry matter intake (DMI) and digestibility (DMD), rumination and total chewing activities, percent milk fat, 4% fat-corrected milk (FCM) and body weight change. Diets were comprised of alfalfa hay at four stages of maturity, fed with 20, 37, 54 or 71% concentrate. Diet dry matter levels of NDF and ADF ranged from 18.3 to 48.6% and 12.3 to 35.1%, respectively. The relationships of fiber components with body weight and 4% FCM yield suggest that during the period of 10–26 weeks post-partum, levels of fiber less than 29% NDF and 20% ADF were required to sustain a 4% FCM yield of more than 35 kg and maintain a positive body tissue balance. Furthermore, at the same level of dietary NDF, an advance in alfalfa maturity adversely affected (P<0.05) yield of 4% FCM. Associated with an advance in maturity was a daily change in NDF of 0.86 percentage units and a decrease in FCM of 0.39 kg/day
A quasi-experimental study to test a prevention bundle for catheter-associated urinary tract infections

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to test the use of a bundled approach of catheter care practices for a 3-month period to reduce the occurrence of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) in adult critical care patients who had indwelling urinary catheters. Catheter care is completed primarily by nursing staff, however minimal studies exist in the literature that support specific nursing care to reduce the occurrence of CAUTIs. Catheter care practices were investigated and implemented in a bundled approach to determine the impact on reducing CAUTIs in a critical care unit. Though the results were not statistically significant, they were clinically significant with a 50% reduction in CAUTI incidence.
Sex Preselection in Swine: Altered Sex Ratios in Offspring following Surgical Insemination of Flow Sorted X‐ and Y‐Bearing Sperm

Contents: Flow cytometric sorting of X and Y chromosome-bearing sperm into separate populations, followed by surgical insemination into the isthmus of the oviduct of mature gilts, produced litters with phenotypic sex ratios skewed in the direction of male or female according to the predicted sex of the sperm population inseminated. The skewing of the sex ratio of the offspring was predicted from flow cytometric DNA reanalysis of flow sorted sperm populations. Gilts inseminated with intact, viable flow-sorted X-bearing sperm produced litters of off spring that were 74% female (P < .01). Gilts inseminated with intact, viable flow-sorted Y-bearing sperm gave off spring that were 68% male (P < .04). These results validate the use of DNA as a marker for pre-selecting the sex of offspring when used in conjunction with flow cytometric sorting of sperm. Inhalt: Geschlechtsvorbestimmung beim Schwein: Anderung des Geschlechtsverhaltnisses bei Nachkommen, erzeugt durch chirurgische Insemination mit Spermien, die mittels Flow-cytometrie entsprechend dem X bzw. Y Chromosom getrennt wurden. Nach Trennung von Spermien in zwei Populationen entsprechend ihrem X bzw. Y Chromosom durch “Flow-cytometrie” und anschlieβender chirurgischer Ubertragung in den Eileiteristhmus von geschlechtsreifen Sauen, wurden Nachkommen erzeugt, deren phanotypisches Geschlechtsverhaltnis entsprechend dem vorbestimmten Geschlecht in der Spermienpopulation verschoben wurde. Die Verschiebung des Geschlechtsver-haltnisses der Nachkommen wurde durch eke Wiederholungsanalyse des DNA-Gehaltes der vorsortierten Spermienpopulationen per Flow-Cytometrie vorausbestimmt, Sauen, die mit intakten, lebenden X-Spermien besamt wurden, produzierten Wurfe, die zu 74% weiblich waren (p < 0,01). Sauen mit intakten, lebenden Y-Spermien besamt, erzeugten zu 68% (p < 0,04) mannliche Ferkel. Die Ergebnisse bestatigen, daβ die DNA als Marker fur die Vorbesh'mmung des Nachkommengeschlechtes geeignet ist, wenn die Spermientrennung mittels Flow-cytometrie vorgenommen wird
Differential gene expression in the lens epithelial cells from selenite injected rats.

The mechanism causing loss of integrity of lens epithelial cells induced by an overdose of sodium selenite remains to be elucidated. The aim of the present experiment was to search for changes in gene expression in epithelial cells of lenses from rats developing selenite cataract. One day after injection of selenite into 12 day old rats, gene expression in lens epithelial cells was analysed using a commercial DNA array (Atlas Rat 1.2 Array). Changes were confirmed by RT-PCR. Of 1176 genes assayed by hybridization, 91 genes showed differences in expression between normal and selenite lenses. The three genes showing the greatest changes were: cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COX-I, decrease), gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP, decrease), and early growth response protein-1 (EGR-1, increase). Both COX-I and EGR-1 have been reported to be involved with apoptosis. These results suggest that changes in COX-I and EGR-1 expression in lens epithelial cells might play important roles in apoptosis and altered metabolism leading to selenite cataract.
Studies on growth hormone secretion VI. Effects of dibutyryl cyclic AMP, prostaglandin E1, and indomethacin on growth and hormone secretion by rat pituitary tumor cells in culture*

Abstract The growth of rat pituitary tumor cells (GH 1 line) maintained in monolayer culture was inhibited by dibutyryl cyclic AMP in a dose-related fashion. Neither PGE 1 (2.8 × 10 −5 M) nor indomethacin (2.8 × 10 −6 M) had any significant effect on cell proliferation. Release of GH into the culture medium was stimulated by the cyclic AMP derivative but not by PGE 1 or indomethacin. In short term experiments (15 min.) both in intact monolayers and in trypsin-treated cells incubated in suspension, PGE 1 caused a 2–10 fold increase in cyclic AMP levels. This response, however, appeared to be of short duration reaching a maximum in 10 minutes. It is suggested that, at least in this line of pituitary tumor cells, PGE 1 does not mimic the effect of cyclic AMP, for it probably cannot sustain the elevated intracellular levels of this nucleotide which seem to be necessary for growth inhibition and enhanced GH secretion.
A population-based assessment of the health, functional status, and consequent family impact among children with Down syndrome

Abstract Background Many health conditions have been described in children with Down syndrome (DS). However, there are little comparative population-based data available. Objective/Hypotheses We sought to examine the health impacts associated with DS and other disabling conditions in U.S. children included in the 2005-2006 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs. Methods We assessed numerous health and functional outcomes in children with DS and without DS but with (1) mental retardation/developmental delay 1 and another developmental disability associated with a high functional impact; (2) mental retardation/developmental delay but no co-occurring high-impact disability; (3) other special health care needs; and (4) no special health care needs (referent). Results Children with DS and in all 3 special health care needs comparison groups had substantially more health and functional difficulties than did the referent sample. Overall, children with DS were fairly comparable to children in the other mental retardation/developmental delay groups on health indicators; however, young children with DS were more likely than young children in both “other mental retardation” groups to have difficulties with breathing/respiration and swallowing/digestion/metabolism. Children with both DS and mental retardation associated with another high-impact disability had the highest levels of functional difficulties, unmet health needs, and family financial impacts. Nearly 60% of families in both groups provided home health care; in over 40%, a family member stopped working because of the child’s condition; and about 40% reported the child’s condition caused financial problems. Conclusions Children with DS can have substantial health and functional difficulties, with numerous financial impacts on their families.
The near-surface structure of ion-implanted and crept molybdenum

Transmission electron microscope specimens have been prepared from the surface of ion-implanted and crept molybdenum sheet. The structure of the near-surface layers is found to be very strongly influenced by the type of implanted ion species and the implantation energy. Creep of carbon-implanted specimens produced, within the subgrains, a high density of jogged dislocations upon which precipitation had occurred. Creep of tellurium-implanted specimens led to the production of large numbers of voids close to the specimen surface; precipitation was frequently noted in conjunction with the voids. Voids were observed particularly in the grain boundaries. Examination of crept samples in the scanning electron microscope showed that grain boundary sliding was of importance in tellurium-implanted samples. The observations are considered in terms of the diffusion of interstitial carbon and radiation-induced defects.
Ethnic niching and metropolitan labor markets

Abstract This paper reports the findings of a study of labor market niching involving 100 ethnic groups living in 216 metropolitan areas in 1990. Approximately 14% of the labor force of the 216 metropolitan areas studied was employed in ethnic niches, and 20% are employed in niches in employment sectors with 5000 or more workers. The average percentage in niches was approximately 20% for indigenous minority groups (American Indians, African Americans, Hawaiians, and Puerto Ricans), 8% for European groups, and 31% non-European groups, including those from Latin American, the Caribbean, and Asia. In addition it was found that ethnic groups differ considerably with respect to the types of sectors in which they have niches, and the groups are hieratically ordered with respect to employment sector specialization. Niches in service and blue-collar occupations associated with construction, manufacturing, and consumer market industries are primarily occupied by indigenous minority and non-European groups. Niches in professional/managerial and technical occupations are dominated by European, Middle Eastern, and selected Asian groups. Niche employment tends to be concentrated in fewer industry/occupational sectors and metropolitan areas than is the overall labor force of a group. Although niching appears to be pervasive among some ethnic groups, for individual groups there is considerable discontinuity in the sectors in which niching occurs across metropolitan areas; and few groups have multiple occupational niches within a given industry in one or more metropolitan area. Finally, workers employed in workplace jobs in which the workforce is majority co-ethnic are also likely to work in ethnic niches.
Characterization of alpha-synuclein interactions with selected aggregation-inhibiting small molecules

The 140-residue protein alpha-synuclein (aS) has been implicated in the molecular chain of events leading to Parkinson's disease, which relates to the hierarchical aggregation of aS into soluble oligomers and insoluble fibrils. A number of small organic molecules have been reported to inhibit aS aggregation. Here, the interactions of chlorazole black E, Congo red, lacmoid, PcTS-Cu (2+), and rosmarinic acid with aS are examined by NMR spectroscopy to identify aS sequence elements that are masked by these compounds. Surprisingly, similar aS interaction sites, encompassing residues 3-18 and 38-51, were obtained for all molecules at equimolar small molecule:aS ratios. At higher ratios, virtually the entire amphiphilic region of aS (residues 2-92) is affected, revealing the presence of additional, lower affinity interaction sites. Upon rearranging the high-affinity interaction sites over the aS amphiphilic region in an aS mutant form, perturbations of the entire amphiphilic region were found to have already been obtained at equimolar ratios, indicating a high specificity for the original binding sites. CD spectroscopy reveals that, in the presence of the small molecules, the aS structure is still dominated by random-coil characteristics. The strongest effects are exerted by molecules that contain sulfonate groups adjacent to aromatic systems, often present in multiple copies in a symmetrical arrangement, suggesting that these elements are useful for developing an aS-specific chemical chaperone.
Modeling the regulation of bacterial genes producing proteins that strongly influence growth.

A theoretical method for comparing the performance of rival models of bacterial genetic regulation is presented. The particukar difficulties involved in describing the regulated synthesis of proteins that strongly influence cell growth are identiied, and the method is specifically designed to treat such cases. The method employs a mathematical description of intrinsic perturbations occurring during exponential growth to test the performance of regulatory models. Specific models of transcriptional and translational regulation are inserted into a general gene-expression framework in order to determine their control responses. Applying thhis approach to examine the regulation of RNA polymerase synthesis in Eschericia coli provides support for the hypothesis that rpoB translation is regulated by cooperative binding of multiple RNA polymerase molecules to the mRNA. The framework is of a sufficiently general form that the method can be used to study mechanisms involved in controlling synthesis of any bacterial protein. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Strategies for Reaching Asian Americans With Health Information

Abstract Introduction: Cultural, linguistic, and economic barriers place many Asian Americans in jeopardy of missing opportunities for disease prevention, early diagnosis, prompt treatment, and participation in clinical trials. One way to learn how to address these barriers is through the development of a demonstration health education and prevention program focused on an indicator disease such as cancer. Methods: In 1994, the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Cancer Center began a highly focused cancer education program. Staffing was done with a variety of bicultural and bilingual undergraduates recruited from local colleges and trained to work as community health educators. Asian grocery stores were selected as optimal educational sites. Adaptation of sheltered English teaching techniques and hands-on teaching aids helped to overcome language and educational barriers. The educational intervention was evaluated using unobtrusive measures. Results: With the volunteers’ help, culturally sensitive means to disseminate information on cancer were evaluated. A variety of approaches evolved that effectively bridged many communication barriers. Fear of cancer itself, belief that thinking about cancer could provoke the onset of the disease, and financial barriers to care proved to be just as formidable barriers to cancer education in this ethnic group as they are in others. Using student volunteers and donated store space, this educational program was conducted with minimal expense. Conclusion: Reaching this population with the help of ethnically and linguistically compatible students was effective, but the barriers they faced when trying to connect with their potential audience were still considerable. Rigorous evaluation of the strategies used in this intervention is warranted.
Competitive intensity and technical efficiency in public sector firms: evidence from India

Reports that transfer of ownership from government to private hands is touted as the only way to eliminate inefficiencies in the public sector. Argues that the alternative approach ‐ increasing competitive intensity through decontrol of restricted industries without changing ownership to private investors ‐ is likely to provide similar efficiency gains. Examines this hypothesis empirically in the context of state‐owned manufacturing enterprises in India that face effective competition from private sector firms. Shows, from analysis of variance of efficiency indicators of a longitudinal sample of 108 firms over the period 1988‐1992, that increasing levels of competition trigger corresponding increases in the overall level of technical efficiency of state‐owned enterprises that face competitive conditions. Provides a persuasive case for introducing competitive markets as an alternative to complete privatization, especially in monopolisitc settings.