cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Erotic Conception of Ancient Greek Landscapes and the Heterotopia of the Symposium

In his article "The Erotic Conception of Ancient Greek Landscapes and the Heterotopia of the Symposium" Jo Heirman discusses the conception of natural landscapes in ancient Greek lyric poetry from the seventh until the fifth century BC and its ideological background. Heirman analyzes lyric poems by Sappho, Ibycus, and Theognis in which landscapes of fields, gardens, and meadows are presented. Heirman's analysis reveals a recurrent erotic pattern in the conception of ancient Greek landscapes constructed as places which suggest various forms of eroticism ranging from lesbian desire to homosexuality. Further, Heirman discusses the preoccupation with eroticism by suggesting a connection with the "symposium," i.e., the performance of lyric poetry. Building on Michel Foucault's concept of heterotopia, the erotic conception of the natural landscapes in lyric poems performed in the symposium is explained as the projection of eroticism that went beyond the urban norms of spaces outside of the city. Jo Heirman, "The Erotic Conception of Ancient Greek Landscapes and the Heterotopia of the Symposium" page 2 of 7 CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 14.3 (2012): Thematic Issue New Work on Landscape and Its Narration. Ed. Sofie Verraest, Bart Keunen, and Katrien Bollen
Non-photochemical hole burning—versatility and theoretical status

Abstract A summary of the mechanism for burning of non-photochemical holes in amorphous solids is presented. The universality of the technique and applications to vibrational spectroscopy and to studies of biologically significant molecules are reviewed and illustrated with examples of previously unpublished data. In addition, the various theories of optical dephasing in amorphous solids are summarized.
A technique for detecting matrix proteins in the crystalline spicule of the sea urchin embryo.

Abstract The presence of proteins associated with the CaCO3-containing biocrystals found in a wide variety of marine organisms is well established. In these organisms, including the primitive skeleton (spicule) of the sea urchin embryo, the structural and functional role of these proteins either in the biomineralization process or in control of the structural features of the biocrystals is unclear. Recently, one of the matrix proteins of the sea urchin spicule, SM 30, has been shown to contain a carbohydrate chain (the 1223 epitope) that has been implicated in the process whereby Ca2+ is deposited as CaCo3. Because an understanding of the localization of this protein, as well as other proteins found within the spicule, is central to understanding their function, we undertook to develop methods to localize spicule matrix proteins in intact spicules, using immunogold techniques and scanning electron microscopy. Gold particles indicative of this matrix glycoprotein could not be detected on the surface of spicules that had been isolated from embryo homogenates and treated with alkaline hypochlorite to remove any associated membranous material. However, when isolated spicules were etched for 2 min with dilute acetic acid (10 mM) to expose more internal regions of the crystal, SM 30 and perhaps other proteins bearing the 1223 carbohydrate epitope were detected in the calcite matrix. These results, indicating that these two antigens are widely distributed in the spicule, suggest that this technique should be applicable to any matrix protein for which antibodies are available.
Effective range parametrization of phase shifts for p-3He elastic scattering between 0 and 12 MeV.

We have used a modified effective range expansion to parametrize the phase shifts for p${\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}^{3}$He elastic scattering over the energy range of 0 to 12 meV. Energy-dependent phase shifts were determined by fitting a database consisting of 1085 measurements, including 68 new measurements of the spin correlation coefficients ${\mathit{A}}_{\mathit{y}\mathit{y}}$, ${\mathit{A}}_{\mathit{x}\mathit{x}}$, ${\mathit{A}}_{\mathit{z}\mathit{z}}$, ${\mathit{Z}}_{\mathit{x}\mathit{z}}$, and ${\mathit{A}}_{\mathit{z}\mathit{x}}$. The addition of the new second order polarization observables has made it possible to uniquely determine the low energy phase shifts. The final fit has a ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\chi}}}^{2}$ per degree of freedom of 0.966, corresponding to a confidence level of 0.778. The global phase shift uncertainties obtained in the present work represent a significant improvement over the results of previous analyses.
Lateral cavity acoustic transducer.

We present a lateral cavity acoustic transducer (LCAT) capable of pumping and mixing fluids within a microfluidic system using an acoustic energy source from an external piezoelectric buzzer. The device is capable of pumping at flow rates of approximately 250 nl min−1 and real-time mixing in low flow rate (<1 µl min−1) devices typical in microfluidic systems.
Women and health care on a Guatemalan plantation.

Abstract Women on a Guatemalan plantation are responsible for the health care of their families and are the primary therapeutic decision makers. This study focuses on women as lay health care providers. They provide medical care directly through home treatment and indirectly through strategies which increase their access to resources which enable them to utilize various illness treatment options.
Effect of topical acid on duodenal pepsinogen secretion in the rat.

The effect of topical acid on duodenal pepsinogen secretion was studied in the anesthetized rat. Perfusion of a 5-cm segment of the proximal duodenum with normal saline or buffered saline (pH 7.2 or 6.0) elicited no detectable pepsinogen response. Perfusion with 10, 25, and 100 mN HCl resulted in a graded increase in pepsinogen output. Acetylcholine bromide, 500 μg/ml, in buffered saline, pH 7.2, also stimulated pepsinogen secretion. The pepsinogen response to 100 mN HCl and to acetylcholine was completely abolished by atropine. Secretin, 2 units/kg, did not alter pepsinogen output during perfusion with buffered saline or acid, while secretin, 75 units/kg, increased pepsinogen output. These observations suggest that topical acid stimulates duodenal pepsinogen secretion through a cholinergic reflex and that secretin is not a significant stimulant of duodenal pepsinogen secretion in the rat within the dose range employed (1–2 units/kg).
Metabolite of SIR2 Reaction Modulates TRPM2 Ion Channel

The transient receptor potential melastatin-related channel 2 (TRPM2) is a nonselective cation channel, whose prolonged activation by oxidative and nitrative agents leads to cell death. Here, we show that the drug puromycin selectively targets TRPM2-expressing cells, leading to cell death. Our data suggest that the silent information regulator 2 (Sir2 or sirtuin) family of enzymes mediates this susceptibility to cell death. Sirtuins are protein deacetylases that regulate gene expression, apoptosis, metabolism, and aging. These NAD+-dependent enzymes catalyze a reaction in which the acetyl group from substrate is transferred to the ADP-ribose portion of NAD+ to form deacetylated product, nicotinamide, and the metabolite OAADPr, whose functions remain elusive. Using cell-based assays and RNA interference, we show that puromycin-induced cell death is greatly diminished by nicotinamide (a potent sirtuin inhibitor), and by decreased expression of sirtuins SIRT2 and SIRT3. Furthermore, we demonstrate using channel current recordings and binding assays that OAADPr directly binds to the cytoplasmic domain of TRPM2 and activates the TRPM2 channel. ADP-ribose binds TRPM2 with similarly affinity, whereas NAD+ displays almost negligible binding. These studies provide the first evidence for the potential role of sirtuin-generated OAADPr in TRPM2 channel gating.
Component Based Software Engineering across the Curriculum

Component Based Software Engineering (CBSE) is a technique for designing and assembling systems from existing parts that has important implications for a number of software engineering practices. The basic principles of CBSE, including modularity, substitutability, and composition are important throughout the SE curriculum. The ability to build a component and have confidence that it will function predictably in different environments requires a variety of skills. In this paper we present hands-on projects that use the recently released SEI PSK tool suite to implement exercises in several courses across the computing curriculum, including courses in: software engineering, computational theory, operating systems, programming languages, and verification and validation.
Before the Federal Bilingual Education Act: Legislation and Lived Experience in California

The federal Bilingual Education Act (BEA; 1968) augured a new era in the national politics of diversity, schooling, and state, and California became symbolic of the problems and promise of bilingual pedagogy. This article explores how the BEA was pivotal not only in conceiving a federal commitment to the educational achievement of limited-English-speaking children but also in spurring state and local action. Yet close attention reveals how philosophically and fiscally limited were the terms of the federal act. California had been experimenting with bilingual education in many districts, where innovative programs operated independently of state or federal involvement. On one hand, the emerging legislative structure embodied by the federal BEA pushed districts and states to question the received attitudes about Mexican American underachievement that permeated their practice. On the other hand, the BEA supplanted earlier, locally developed programs, increasing oversight and enforcement and often casting dist...
Changing Surgical Therapy for Melanoma of the External Ear

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic variables and clinical ramifications of melanoma of the ear. Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients treated since 1985 at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ, and Rochester, MN, identified 78 patients with complete follow-up. Results: Of these 78 patients, 68 (87%) were men; the mean age was 64 years (range, 23–87 years). Melanoma thickness averaged 1.7 mm (range, .2–7.0 mm). Treatment of the primary melanoma included wedge resection (59%), Mohs resection (14%), partial amputation (11%), skin and subcutaneous resection with perichondrium preservation (9%), and total amputation (7%). Nineteen patients underwent an elective lymph node dissection, and lymph node metastases were found in seven (37%). Two patients presented with clinically positive lymph nodes. Sentinel lymph node biopsy was performed in 10 patients. After a mean follow-up of 55.7 months, 10 patients (13%) had local recurrence, 9 patients (12%) had regional recurrence, and systemic metastases had developed in 17 patients (22%). Tumor thickness, lymph node metastases, and local recurrence significantly affected systemic recurrence. Conclusions: The treatment of malignant melanoma of the external ear should follow current standard guidelines, which require wide local excision with negative margins. Sentinel lymph node biopsy can be used to identify patients with lymph node metastases who are at high risk of recurrence.
Lack of correlation between gonadotropin and adrenal androgen levels in agonadal children.

To evaluate the relationship between the secretion of gonadotropins and adrenal and rogens, patients with gonadal agenesis were evaluated by (a) administering human luteinizing hormone (hLH) for 5 days with or without estrogen pretreatment to agonadal patients who had prepubertal LH levels; (b) correlating circulating gonadotropin levels with adrenal androgens in 45 patients; and (c) comparing adrenal androgens with gonadotropins after long-term administration of estrogen or androgens. Results are as follows: (a) No alteration in serum concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHAS), estrone (E,), testosterone (T), or in excretion of urinary 17-ketosteroid (17 KS) occurred after the administration of hLH. (b) No clearcut relationship between endogenous level of LH or FSH and DHA or DHAS was demonstrated although a coincident increase of all hormones with age occurred, (c) Administration of estrogen to patients with gonadal agenesis did not affect their levels of DHA a...
Cornea-Derived Neutrophil Chemotactic Factors as Predictors of Corneal Inflammation

Acute corneal inflammation, induced by a variety of insults, is characterized by corneal opacity, infiltration of neutrophils, redness, pain, and corneal cell injury. Using isolated bovine corneas, we tested the effects of six compounds (i.e., citric acid, 2-butanone, 1-butanol, propyl paraben, glycerin, and talc) on corneal opacity, release of neutrophil chemotactic factors (NCFs) from corneal tissues, and release of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) from corneal cells. The epithelial surfaces of isolated bovine corneas were incubated with the six compounds for 30 min and washed three times with saline, and the corneas were reincubated with culture medium for an additional 6 h at 37°C. Corneal opacity was measured quantitatively using an opacitometer machine. The levels of NCFs were measured in the supernatant using modified Boyden chambers. Although the effects of the six compounds on corneal opacity and release of NCF from corneal tissues were quite consistent with the in vivo data, the release of LDH was not...
On the non-integrability of Gross-Neveu models

Abstract We prove that the classical Gross-Neveu models, corresponding to the Lie algebras so(5), so(6), so(7), sp(4), sp(6), sl(3), and sl(4) do not possess independent holomorphic first integrals in a quantity required for their integrability.
Commentary and critique of “accounting for mineral resources: Issues and BEA's initial estimates”

The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), U.S. Department of Commerce, in keeping with broad international efforts to “green” national gross domestic product (GDP) accounts, has attempted to create satellite accounts for mineral depletion. The present paper criticizes the BEA's unit rent measure of resource depletion, which is based upon Hotelling's pure theory of exhaustion. Following a thorough criticism of Hotelling's theory as a real-world model of mineral prices, practical issues related to the treatment of recycling, exploration, definition of reserves/resources, and their valuation/exploitation are introduced. For crude oil and natural gas and the nonfuel minerals, specific application problems of joint products and residuals complicate BEA's assumptions and efforts.
An X-ray study of ionic carbide solid solubilities

Calcium carbide and its combination with sodium carbide, lithium carbide and cerium carbide were studied via X-ray diffraction to determine the solid solubilities of these latter carbides in calcium carbide. No solid solubility of sodium or lithium carbide in calcium carbide was found but cerium carbide appears to be soluble up to approximately 40 mol% in CaC2.
Definition of the ovalbumin gene promoter by transfer of an ovalglobin fusion gene into cultured cells

In order to study the initiation of transcription from the ovalbumin gene promoter, we constructed a hybrid gene (ovalglobin) in which 753 bps of ovalbumin gene 5'-flanking sequence were joined to the chicken adult beta-globin gene. When transfected into HeLa S3 cells, ovalglobin gene transcription initiated at the ovalbumin gene cap site, as measured by S1 nuclease and primer extension analysis. Deletion of 5'-flanking sequences to position -95 had little effect on transcription; deletion to -77 reduced transcription to about 20% of the wild type level and deletion to -48 reduced the level to about 2%. A deletion to -24, removing the sequence TATATAT, abolished transcription entirely. Hormonal regulation of the ovalglobin gene was observed when primary oviduct cells were used as recipients for DNA transfection. Under these conditions, addition of progesterone increased the level of ovalglobin transcripts to more than 10 times the uninduced level.
Fabrication and optical characteristics of silicon-based two-dimensional photonic crystal wavelength division multiplexing splitter

Photonic crystals have many potential applications because of their ability to control light-wave propagation. In this paper, we have investigated PC-based optical waveguides implemented into wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) systems. The WDM splitters based on a PC waveguide coupler with square lattice are proposed. Their wavelength multiplexing properties are numerically investigated by using the finite-difference time-domain method. Rod-type photonic crystal structures were fabricated in silicon by electron beam lithography and dry-etching techniques. The WDM splitters were fabricated from two-dimensional photonic crystal waveguides. Transmission spectra were calculated by using finite-difference time-domain method. The WDM splitters can be used in infrared region. Such an approach to photonic element systems should enable new applications for designing components in photonic integrated circuits.
Quantitation of mast cells in experimental allergic neuritis

The number and extent of degranulation of mast cells in the sciatic nerve have been determined in Lewis rats inoculated with bovine intradural root myelin to induce experimental allergic neuritis (EAN). No significant change in either the number of mast cells or the percentage of degranulated cells was observed before eight days post-inoculation (dpi). On day eight, however, there was a significant decrease in the number of detectable mast cells, and on day nine there was a significant increase in the percentage of degranulated cells. These changes immediately preceded the onset of clinical signs of EAN that occurred ten dpi. The number of detectable mast cells remained low throughout the acute stage of the disease, but by three weeks post-inoculation (wpi) there was a significant increase in the number of mast cells (or basophils) that persisted through 16 wpi. The increase in the percentage of degranulated mast cells also persisted through 16 wpi. These results suggest that mast cells participate in the development of EAN in the Lewis rat.
Microbial Cytotoxicity of Carbon-Based Nanomaterials: Implications for River Water and Wastewater Effluent

This study evaluates the cytotoxicity of four carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNs)--single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), aqueous phase C60 nanoparticles (aq-nC60), and colloidal graphite--in gram negative and gram positive bacteria. The potential impacts of CBNs on microorganisms in natural and engineered aquatic systems are also evaluated. SWNTs inactivate the highest percentage of cells in monocultures of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus epidermis, as well as in the diverse microbial communities of river water and wastewater effluent. Bacterial cytotoxicity displays time dependence, with longer exposure times accentuating toxicity in monocultures with initial tolerance for SWNTs. In Bacillus subtilis, an additional 3.5 h of incubation produced a five fold increase in toxicity. Elevated concentration of NOM reduces the attachment of bacteria on SWNT aggregates by 50%, but does not mitigate toxicity toward attached cells. CBN toxicity in bacterial monocultures was a poor predictor of microbial inactivation in chemically and biologically complex environmental samples.
Genome sequence analysis: scientific objectives and practical strategies

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On face polynomials

If φ is a C-automorphism of C[x1, x2] with φ(x1)=f(x1, x2), and φ(x2)=g(x1, x2), then f(0, t), g(0,t), f(0,t), g(0,t) are the face polynomials of φ. In other papers (An inversion formula for two polynomials in two variables, On the inversion formula for two polynomials in two variables) McKay and Wang have shown that the face polynomials determine the automorphism and have given some conditions on a set F of four polynomials which are necessary whenever F consists of the face polynomials of an automorphism. In this paper, using the proof of the Main Theorem of a paper by S.S. Abhyankar and T.T. Moh (Embeddings of the line in the plane), these conditions are shown to be sufficient. One of the conditions is: Resultants(f(0, s)−f(t, 0), g(0, s)−g(t, 0))=μt and Resultants(f(s, 0)−f(0, t), g(s, 0)−g(0, t)=vt where μ v∈C⧹{0}.
Number of siblings and personality: Evidence among eighth graders from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K)

Abstract Most prior sociological research on siblings explores their effects on educational, cognitive and social outcomes. This study focuses on personality traits and extends its scope to early adolescence. Using the eighth-grade data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), it tests the relationship between number of siblings and three personality traits: internalizing problem behavior, self-concept, and locus of control. The results suggest that sibship size has only a modest effect on personality traits among early adolescents. Specifically, only those adolescents who have at least four siblings are found to have significantly worse internalizing problem behaviors, worse self-concept, and worse locus of control compared to only children. In addition, this study finds little evidence that adolescents benefit more from sisters than brothers. Lastly, compared to having older siblings, having younger siblings is more beneficial for personality traits in predicting self-concept and locus of control.
Single server stochastic recirculation systems

Abstract A recursive methodology is suggested for approximating the asymptotic performance of a single server recirculation system. A single server recirculation system is modeled by a G / G /1/0 queueing loss system with generally distributed interarrivai times, generally distributed service times, a single server, no waiting room, first come first served queueing discipline, and retrials. In this queueing system, the units which initially are not processed by the server are not lost. These units retry to receive service by retrying. Furthermore, numerical results are provided and the approximation outcomes are compared against those from a simulation study.
Activation of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) confers cardioprotection in protein kinase C epsilon (PKCɛ) knockout mice

Acute administration of ethanol can reduce cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury. Previous studies demonstrated that the acute cytoprotective effect of ethanol on the myocardium is mediated by protein kinase C epsilon (PKCvarepsilon). We recently identified aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) as a PKCvarepsilon substrate, whose activation is necessary and sufficient to confer cardioprotection in vivo. ALDH2 metabolizes cytotoxic reactive aldehydes, such as 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE), which accumulate during cardiac ischemia/reperfusion. Here, we used a combination of PKCvarepsilon knockout mice and a direct activator of ALDH2, Alda-44, to further investigate the interplay between PKCvarepsilon and ALDH2 in cardioprotection. We report that ethanol preconditioning requires PKCvarepsilon, whereas direct activation of ALDH2 reduces infarct size in both wild type and PKCvarepsilon knockout hearts. Our data suggest that ALDH2 is downstream of PKCvarepsilon in ethanol preconditioning and that direct activation of ALDH2 can circumvent the requirement of PKCvarepsilon to induce cytoprotection. We also report that in addition to ALDH2 activation, Alda-44 prevents 4-HNE induced inactivation of ALDH2 by reducing the formation of 4-HNE-ALDH2 protein adducts. Thus, Alda-44 promotes metabolism of cytotoxic reactive aldehydes that accumulate in ischemic myocardium. Taken together, our findings suggest that direct activation of ALDH2 may represent a method of harnessing the cardioprotective effect of ethanol without the side effects associated with alcohol consumption.
Procedures for urinary incontinence in the United States, 1979-1997.

Abstract Objective: The objective of our study was to describe the national rates of surgery for urinary incontinence in women. Study Design: We used the National Hospital Discharge Survey, a federal database that samples inpatient hospitals in the United States. Data from 1979 to 1997 were analyzed for diagnoses and procedures coded by using the International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, Clinical Modification, classification system. Age-adjusted rates were calculated by using the 1990 census population and compared for change over time with the score test for linear trend. Results: The number of women undergoing inpatient surgery for urinary incontinence has varied from 33,000 in 1979 to 85,000 in 1993. The rate of surgeries for incontinence has almost doubled, from 0.32 procedures per 1000 women per year in 1979 to 0.60 procedures per 1000 women per year in 1997 ( P =.02). The number of suprapubic slings performed increased over time. Approximately 2100 slings were performed per year until 1996, when 7348 were performed, followed by 10,192 in 1997 (rate increase from 12 to 75.2 per 1,000,000 women per year, P =.03). Women undergoing incontinence procedures were 79% white, 3% African American, and the remaining 18% other (including unknown). Thirty-seven percent of cases were performed in the South, 25% in the Midwest and West, and 12% in the Northeast. From 1979 to 1997, the mean age of women at the time of surgery increased from 50.5 ± 12.1 years to 56.6 ± 13.3 years; mean length of hospital stay decreased from 9.9 ± 4.5 days to 2.7 ± 1.4 days ( P Conclusion: The rate of surgery for urinary incontinence in women has nearly doubled from 1979 to 1997. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003;189:·70-5.)
Optical technologies for data communication in large parallel systems

Large, parallel systems have greatly aided scientific computation and data collection, but performance scaling now relies on chip and system-level parallelism. This has happened because power density limits have caused processor frequency growth to stagnate, driving the new multi-core architecture paradigm, which would seem to provide generations of performance increases as transistors scale. However, this paradigm will be constrained by electrical I/O bandwidth limits; first off the processor card, then off the processor module itself. We will present best-estimates of these limits, then show how optical technologies can help provide more bandwidth to allow continued system scaling. We will describe the current status of optical transceiver technology which is already being used to exceed off-board electrical bandwidth limits, then present work on silicon nanophotonic transceivers and 3D integration technologies which, taken together, promise to allow further increases in off-module and off-card bandwidth. Finally, we will show estimated limits of nanophotonic links and discuss breakthroughs that are needed for further progress, and will speculate on whether we will reach Exascale-class machine performance at affordable powers.
Communication skills training in surgical residency: a needs assessment and metacognition analysis of a difficult conversation objective structured clinical examination.

Background The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) can be used to evaluate the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Core Competencies of Professionalism and Interpersonal and Communication Skills. The aim of this study was to describe general surgery resident performance on a "difficult conversation" OSCE. Methods In this prospective study, junior and senior residents participated in a 2-station OSCE. Junior stations involved discussing operative risks and benefits and breaking bad news. Senior stations involved discussing goals of care and discussing transition to comfort measures only status. Residents completed post-OSCE checklist and Likert-based self-evaluations of experience, comfort, and confidence. Trained standardized patients (SPs) evaluated residents using communication skill–based checklists and Likert-based assessments. Pearson correlation coefficients were determined between self-assessment and SP assessment. Mann-Whitney U tests were conducted between junior and senior resident variables, using α = 0.05. Results There were 27 junior residents (age 28.1 ± 1.9 years [29.6% female]) and 27 senior residents (age 32.1 ± 2.5 years [26.9% female]). The correlation of self-assessment and SP assessment of overall communication skills by junior residents was −0.32 on the risks and benefits case and 0.07 on the breaking bad news case. The correlation of self-assessment and SP assessment of overall communication skills by senior residents was 0.30 on the goals of care case and 0.26 on the comfort measures only case. SP assessments showed that junior residents had higher overall communication skills than senior residents (p = 0.03). Senior residents perceived that having difficult conversations was more level appropriate (p Conclusions We found that residents perform difficult conversations well, that subjective and objective skills are correlated, and that skills-based training is needed across all residency levels. This well-received method may be used to observe, document, and provide resident feedback for these important skills.
ASSOCIATION OF KAWASAKI SYNDROME WITH ATOPIC DERMATITIS

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with immunoregulatory abnormalities similar to those observed in acute Kawasaki Syndrome (KS) as well as with increased susceptibility to viral infections. We investigated whether the prevalence of AD is increased among children who acquire KS. In a case-control telephone survey, 83 KS patients and 83 controls with innocent heart murmur were matched for age and time period between clinic visit and interview. The nurse-interviewer was blinded to the study's hypothesis. Cases and controls were similar in socioeconomic status, racial distribution, and number of winters in New England. Atopic dermatitis was defined as a chronic eczematoid dermatitis (separate from rash of KS) associated with personal or family history of inhalant allergy. Nine (11%) KS patients but only 1 (1%) control patient had AD; the odds of AD was 9 times greater in KS than in control patients (p <.01, Mantel-Haenszel). Serum IgE levels were significantly higher (p <.02, Mann-Whitney) in 44 unselected KS patients (median 22, range <4 to 900 IU/ml) studied 6 to 12 months after onset than in 27 controls (median <4, range <4 to 164 IU/ml). We conclude that children who acquire KS are significantly more likely than matched controls to have atopic dermatitis.
Frequency based Algorithm for Robust Contour Extraction of Blue Whale B and D calls

The sea is home to a myriad of marine animal species, many of which use sound as a primary means of communication, navigation and foraging. Of particular interest are the Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) of the cetacean family. Massive commercial whaling prior to 1960 brought the species close to extinction and its population still remains very low. Passive acoustic monitoring of baleen whales has recently been used to provide long-term information about their presence and behavior, and provides an attractive complement to traditional visual based monitoring. In this work we present a frequency domain based algorithm developed for extracting the frequency contours of the dominant harmonic in tonal calls of blue whales (B and D calls). The algorithm uses a two pass approach to contour extraction. In the first pass, partial candidate contours are formed, followed by a second pass which uses the partial information to construct complete contours. When evaluated on a one hour labeled recording, the algorithm had 90% recall and 76% precision.
943-8 Does Radiofrequency Ablation of the Medial Isthmus for Atrial Flutter Modify AV Nodal Function?

Ablation of atrial flutter has been shown to be safe and effective, but little is known about the effect of the ablation procedure on AV nodal function. In 28 patients (21 males, mean 55 ± 14 yo, 13 with coronary artery disease) who underwent successful ablation of typical atrial flutter, including 19 (68%) also presenting with atypical flutter, retrograde and antegrade AV nodal function were measured before and after the procedure. RF ablation was achieved by applying linear lesions across the medial isthmus of the right atrium from the tricuspid annulus to coronary sinus ostium and then to the inferior vena cava ostium. Additional linear lesions were also made across the middle portion of the isthmus from the tricuspid annulus to the inferior vena cava ostium. This ablation approach should effectively isolate the posterior input generated by the crista terminalis to the AV node, Ablation was successful in all patients and no patient developed complete heart block. Incidental dual AV nodal function was eliminated in 3 of 4 patients. Pre- and post-ablation AV nodal function are as follows: PA AH HV Ant ERP Ant FRP Ant Block Ret Block Pre RF 45 ± 10 B4 ± 36 51 ± 9 337 ± 73 444 ± 61 365 ± 97 476 ± 178 PostRF 47 ± 11 87 ± 32 50 ± 9 321 ± 79 432 ± 62 354 ± 81 471 ± 179 p value 0.4 0.76 0.92 0.67 0.7 0.6 0.94
Nonparametric tests of dispersion for the two-period crossover designo

Nonparametric tests of dispersion for the comparison of two treatments in a two-period crossover design are presented and illustrated. The tests developed are asymptotically independent of similar tests for location which use nonparametric procedures.
Managing the computer resource: a stage hypothesis

Based on the study of expenditures for data processing, a descriptive stage hypothesis is presented. It is suggested that the planning, organizing, and controlling activities associated with managing the computer resource will change in character over a period of time, and will evolve in patterns roughly correlated to four stages of the computer budget: Stage I (computer acquisition), Stage II (intense system development), Stage III (proliferation of controls), and Stage IV (user/service orientation). Each stage is described and related to individual tasks for managing the computer resource.
Cf. Wortmania from the early Paleocene of Montana and an evaluation of the fossil record of the initial diversification of the Taeniodonta (Mammalia)

The Garbani Channel deposits, part of the Tullock Formation exposed in northeastern Montana, have yielded a large sample of vertebrates that probably lived during the Puercan 3 North American Land ...
Status of adjuvant therapy. Results of the national surgical adjuvant breast project studies on oophorectomy, postoperative radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Other comments concerning clinical trials

Results of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast Project (NSABP) which drew data from 40 institutions regarding the value of chemotherapy oophorectomy and postoperative irradiation are reviewed. Clinical trials with thio-TEPA (TSPA) and 5-flourouracil (5-FU) found no advantage in either agent for postmenopausal women but for premenopausal patients with 4 of more positive axillary nodes TSPA reduced recurrence rate between the 18th and 36th postoperative months by approximately 40% and this delay in onset of recurrence was reflected in survival rate; results with 5-FU were disappointing. No data are available to justify use of any other drug or combination of drugs and the use by surgeons of chemotherapeutic adjuvants in any setting other than a clinical trial should be condemned. Prophylactic oophorectomy has shown no benefit to 357 patients taken either by group or by subgroups in either recurrence or survival rates up to 36 months and its use is not recommended. A clinical trial of postoperative irradiation revealed a significant reduction in regional and local recurrences but no differences in disease-free status or survival. It would seem that as surgery will remain the primary treatment for breast cancer for some time it is more important to define the proper primary therapy than to evaluate its adjuvants. In this connection the NSABP is initiating a new clinical trial devised to compare the merits of total mastectomy with and without postoperative irradiation with radical mastectomy alone. There is a great need for surgeons to recognize the importance of such trials and to offer their participation.
Relativistic Vlasov equation for heavy-ion collisions.

In the local-density and semiclassical approximation, a relativistic Vlasov equation is constructed from the Walecka model. Applying it to heavy-ion collisions at intermediate energies, we obtain results that are similar to those from the more complicated time-dependent Dirac equation. Compared with the results from the nonrelativistic Skyrme interaction, the relativistic effect is evident in the enhanced transverse-momentum distribution during the collision.
The Collective Repression of `Pathos' in Organization Studies

This paper analyses, from the perspective of the sociology of knowledge, the specific way in which rationalist utilitarianism has influenced both organizational practices and the experts' way of thinking about organizations from the birth of the discipline until the rise of organizational symbolism in the 1970s. The hegemony of the rationalist paradigm—it is argued—led the scientific community to a sort of collective repression of the expressive dimensions of organizational life. The forms of this repression and the expedients adopted to reduce the cognitive dissonance created by this kind of blindness are explored.
Management of tonsil cancer.

A 43-year old man is examined for evaluation of a persistent, right-sided sore throat for 4 months, and a painless, slowly enlarging right neck mass for 3 months. On further questioning, he has right otalgia, but denies dysphagia, odynophagia, hemoptysis, hoarseness, or weight loss. He has a 40 pack/year smoking history, but is otherwise in good health. Physical examination reveals a 3 cm × 3 cm exophytic mass involving the right tonsillar fossa and posterior tonsillar pillar. There is no trismus, the tongue base and soft palate are not involved, and his teeth are in good repair. The remainder of the head and neck examination is remarkable only for a firm, freely mobile 4 cm × 4 cm right level II lymph node. A chest radiograph is normal, and a neck CT is shown in Figure 1. Examination under anesthesia confirmed the above findings, and no synchronous primaries are seen in the upper aerodigestive tract and esophagus. The biopsy is positive for invasive moderately well-differentiated squamous cell cancer, therefore staged as T2 N2a M0.
Hacked Devices, A New Game Experience, and a Wi-Fi Detector Shirt

The article covers several hacks for devices, new and old, and a couple of things that should appeal to the hacker tradition: the jDome game and a Wi-Fi detector shirt.
Positional WAR in the National Football League

We empirically estimate positional “wins above replacement” (WAR) in the National Football League (NFL). Positional WAR measures the value of players in the NFL, by position, in terms of generating...
p21 Ras and Phosphatidylinositol-3 Kinase Are Required for Survival of Wild-Type and NF1 Mutant Sensory Neurons

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a required differentiation and survival factor for sympathetic and a majority of neural crest-derived sensory neurons in the developing vertebrate peripheral nervous system. Although much is known about the function of NGF, the intracellular signaling cascade that it uses continues to be a subject of intense study. p21 ras signaling is considered necessary for sensory neuron survival. How additional intermediates downstream or in parallel may function has not been fully understood yet. Two intracellular signaling cascades, extra cellular regulated kinase (erk) and phosphatidylinositol-3 (PI 3) kinase, transduce NGF signaling in the pheochromocytoma cell line PC12. To elucidate the role these cascades play in survival and differentiation, we used a combination of recombinant adenoviruses and chemical inhibitors to perturb these pathways in sensory neurons from wild-type mice and mice deficient for neurofibromin in which the survival and differentiation pathway is constitutively active. We demonstrate that ras activity is both necessary and sufficient for the survival of embryonic sensory neurons. Downstream of ras, however, the erk cascade is neither required nor sufficient for neuron survival or overall differentiation. Instead, the activity of PI 3 kinase is necessary for the survival of the wild-type and neurofibromin-deficient neurons. Therefore, we conclude that in sensory neurons, NGF acts via a signaling pathway, which includes both ras and PI 3 kinase.
Deletion analysis of the selfish B chromosome, Paternal Sex Ratio (PSR), in the parasitic wasp Nasonia vitripennis

Paternal Sex Ratio (PSR) is a “selfish” B chromosome in the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis. It is transmitted via sperm, but causes supercondensation and destruction of the paternal chromosomes in early fertilized eggs. Because this wasp has haplodiploid sex determination, the effect of PSR is to convert diploid (female) eggs into haploid (male) eggs that carry PSR. Characterizing its genetic structure is a first step toward understanding mechanisms of PSR action. The chromosome is largely heterochromatic and contains several tandemly repeated DNA sequences that are not present on the autosomes. A deletion analysis of PSR was performed to investigate organization of repeats and location of functional domains causing paternal chromosome destruction. Deletion profiles using probes to PSR-specific repetitive DNA indicate that most repeats are organized in blocks on the chromosome. This study shows that the functional domains of PSR can be deleted, resulting in nonfunctional PSR chromosomes that are transmitted to daughters. A functional domain may be linked with the psr22 repeat, but function may also depend on abundance of PSR-specific repeats on the chromosome. It is hypothesized that the repeats act as a “sink” for a product required for proper paternal chromosome processing. Almost all deletion chromosomes remained either functional of nonfunctional in subsequent generations following their creation. One chromosome was exceptional in that it reverted from nonfunctionality to functionality in one lineage. Transmission rates of nonfunctional deletion chromosomes were high through haploid males, but low through diploid females.
MLL/SET1 Complex: From Yeast to Human

Copyright: © 2012 Cao F. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. The past decade witnessed the significant advancement of our knowledge in chromatin biology. Histone post-translational modifications are linked to different biological pathways. Among various histone modifications, H3 K4 methylation has been proposed as a critical component in regulating gene expression, epigenetic states and cellular identities. It antagonizes the functions of another histone methylation mark H3 K27 methylation by PcG group proteins, to set the chromatin activation state by the developmentally regulated genes. The founding member of the H3 K4 methyltransferase is MLL1 (Mixed Lineage Leukemia protein), which is essential for embryonic development and hematopoiesis. Relatively, its mis-regulation is associated with a variety of diseases including leukemia, multiple myeloma and brain tumors. In the past ten years, there has been an exponential increase in our knowledge regarding the MLL family of H3 K4 methyltransferase, and the biological role of this histone modification from yeast to humans.
Acute improvement in hemodynamic control after osteopathic manipulative treatment in the third trimester of pregnancy.

Summary Objectives The physiological changes that occur during pregnancy, including increased blood volume and cardiac output, can affect hemodynamic control, most profoundly with positional changes that affect venous return to the heart. By using Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT), a body-based modality theorized to affect somatic structures related to nervous and circulatory systems, we hypothesized that OMT acutely improves both autonomic and hemodynamic control during head-up tilt and heel raise in women at 30 weeks gestation. Design One hundred subjects were recruited at 30 weeks gestation. Setting The obstetric clinics of UNTHealth in Fort Worth, TX. Intervention Subjects were randomized into one of three treatment groups: OMT, placebo ultrasound, or time control. Ninety subjects had complete data (N = 25, 31 and 34 in each group respectively). Main outcome measures Blood pressure and heart rate were recorded during 5 min of head-up tilt followed by 4 min of intermittent heel raising. Results No significant differences in blood pressure, heart rate or heart rate variability were observed between groups with tilt before or after treatment (p > 0.36), and heart rate variability was not different between treatment groups (p > 0.55). However, blood pressure increased significantly (p = 0.02) and heart rate decreased (p Conclusions These data suggest that OMT can acutely improve hemodynamic control during engagement of the skeletal muscle pump and this was most likely due to improvement of structural restrictions to venous return.
Atmospheric inverse modeling with known physical bounds: an example from trace gas emissions

Abstract. Many inverse problems in the atmospheric sciences involve parameters with known physical constraints. Examples include nonnegativity (e.g., emissions of some urban air pollutants) or upward limits implied by reaction or solubility constants. However, probabilistic inverse modeling approaches based on Gaussian assumptions cannot incorporate such bounds and thus often produce unrealistic results. The atmospheric literature lacks consensus on the best means to overcome this problem, and existing atmospheric studies rely on a limited number of the possible methods with little examination of the relative merits of each. This paper investigates the applicability of several approaches to bounded inverse problems. A common method of data transformations is found to unrealistically skew estimates for the examined example application. The method of Lagrange multipliers and two Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods yield more realistic and accurate results. In general, the examined MCMC approaches produce the most realistic result but can require substantial computational time. Lagrange multipliers offer an appealing option for large, computationally intensive problems when exact uncertainty bounds are less central to the analysis. A synthetic data inversion of US anthropogenic methane emissions illustrates the strengths and weaknesses of each approach.