cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Substrate requirements for the phosphoinositide response in rat pancreatic islets.

The relationship between phopshatidylinositol hydrolysis and the first phase of insulin secretion has been investigated by briefly exposing rat pancreatic islets that had been prelabelled with myo-[2-3H]inositol to various agonists and antagonist of insulin secretion. The recovery of lipid-bound radioactivity progressively decreased as the d-glucose concentration of the incubation medium was increased. Those carbohydrates that stimulated insulin secretion evoked a phopshoinositide response, whereas non-stimulatory carbohydrates did not. With the notable exception of amino acids, non-carbohydrate secretagogues were also found to decrease the islet lipid-bound radioactivity. Inhibition of islet glucose metabolism was found to decrease the recovery of lipid-bound radioactivity, largely as a result of impairedde novo phospshoinositide synthesis. The phospshoinositide response to glucose was not affected by inhibition of microtubular function, but was dependent upon the availability of extracelular calcium ions. We conclude that the phopshoinoditide response in carbohydrate-stimulated islets is not directly related to the activation of membrane-associated glucose receptors, but may occur as a consequence of the subsequent transmembrane movement of calcium ions. Finally, the observation that stimulatory amino acids did not evoke a phopshoinositide response suggests that, under certain circumstances, this phenomenon can be dissociated from insulin secretion.
Salmonid whirling disease: myxosporean and actinosporean stages cross‐react in direct fluorescent antibody test

. Serologic relatedness of the two life stages of the salmonid whirling disease parasite Myxosoma cerebralis Hofer, 1903 — myxosporean spores from fish cartilage and actinosporean triactinomyxon spores from aquatic tubificids — were investigated. When the direct fluorescent antibody technique was used, anti-triactinomyxon and anti-M. cerebralis rabbit sera conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate cross-reacted with the respective heterologous life stage. Both stages showed similar locations of specific fluorescence with conjugates of either homologous or heterologous serum. Thus, serology supports the relatedness of the myxosporean M. cerebralis and the actinosporean triactinomyxon stages.
Evidence for antibody-mediated pathogenesis in anti-NMDAR encephalitis associated with ovarian teratoma

We report the immunopathological analysis of the brain and tumor of two patients who died of anti-NMDAR-associated encephalitis, and of the tumor of nine patients who recovered. Findings included prominent microgliosis and deposits of IgG with rare inflammatory infiltrates in the hippocampus, forebrain, basal ganglia, and spinal cord. Detection of cells expressing markers of cytotoxicity (TIA, granzyme B, perforin and Fas/Fas ligand) was extremely uncommon. All tumors showed NMDAR-expressing neurons and inflammatory infiltrates. All patients’ NMDAR antibodies were IgG1, IgG2, or IgG3. No complement deposits were observed in any of the central nervous system regions examined. Overall, these findings coupled with recently reported in vitro data showing that antibodies downregulate the levels of NMDA receptors suggest that the antibody immune-response is more relevant than cytotoxic T-cell mechanisms in the pathogenesis of anti-NMDAR-associated encephalitis.
Proposing regulatory-driven automated test suites for electronic health record systems

In regulated domains such as finance and health care, failure to comply with regulation can lead to financial, civil and criminal penalties. While systems vary from organization to organization, regulations apply across organizations. We propose the use of Behavior-Driven-Development (BDD) scenarios as the basis of an automated compliance test suite for standards such as regulation and interoperability. Such test suites could become a shared asset for use by all systems subject to these regulations and standards. Each system, then, need only create their own system-specific test driver code to automate their compliance checks. The goal of this research is to enable organizations to compare their systems to regulation in a repeatable and traceable way through the use of BDD. To evaluate our proposal, we developed an abbreviated HIPAA test suite and applied it to three open-source electronic health record systems. The scenarios covered all security behavior defined by the selected regulation. The system-specific test driver code covered all security behavior defined in the scenarios, and identified where the tested system lacked such behavior.
Transfer from free-recall pair learning to free-recall sentence learning

Transfer from free-recall pair learning to free-recall sentence learning was studied in a 3 by 3 factorial experiment The first variable was the intrapair sequence of the List 1 pairs; noun-verb, verb-noun, or noun-noun. Jlie pairs in a given list entered an A-B, A-B, an A-B, CD, or an A-B, A-Br transfer paradigm with the corresponding sequence in the noun-verb-noun sentences in List 2, therefore transfer paradigm was the second variable. The major finding was that, in general, sentence learning was fastest in the A-B, A-B paradigm, intermediate in the A-B, C-D paradigm, and slowest in the A-B, A-Br paradigm These transfer results paralleled the findings of other transfer studies, and were interpreted in terms ofSs using the learned sequences from pair learning to integrate the sentences. Analysis of intrasentence sequence acquisition suggested that the manner in which the sequences are used to integrate the sentence may be quite complex.
Improved Parabolization of the Euler Equations

Abstract : We present a new method for stability and modal analysis of shear flows and their acoustic radiation. The Euler equations are modified and solved as a spatial initial value problem in which initial perturbations are specified at the ow inlet and propagated downstream by integration of the equations. The modified equations, which we call one-way Euler equations, differ from the usual Euler equations in that they do not support upstream acoustic waves. It is necessary to remove these modes from the Euler operator because, if retained, they cause instability in the spatial marching procedure. These modes are removed using a two-step process. First, the upstream modes are partially decoupled from the down- stream modes using a linear similarity transformation. Second, the error in the first step is eliminated using a convergent recursive filtering technique. A previous spatial marching method called the parabolized stability equations uses numerical damping to stabilize the march, but this has the unintended consequence of heavily damping the downstream acoustic waves. Therefore, the one-way Euler equation could be used to obtain improved accuracy over the parabolized stability equations as a low-order model for noise simulation of mixing layers and jets.
Structure of Poly (I)•Poly (A)•Poly (I)

Abstract The molecular structure of poly (I)•poly (A)•poly (I) has been determined and refined using the continuous intensity data on layer lines in the x-ray diffraction pattern obtained from an oriented fiber of this polymorphic RNA complex. The polymer forms a 12-fold right-handed triple-helix of pitch 39.7A and each base-triplet is stabilized by quasi Crick-Watson-Hoogsteen hydrogen bonds. The ribose rings in all the three strands have C3′-endo conformations. The final R-value for this best structure is 0.24 and the x-ray fit is significantly superior to all the alternative structures where the different chains might have different furanose conformations. This all-purine triple-helix, counter-intuitively, has a diameter roughly 3A shorter than that of DNA and RNA triple-helices containing a homopurine and two complementary homopyrimidine strands. Its compact, grooveless cylindrical shape is consistent with the lack of lateral organization.
Fair Balance in Direct-to-Consumer Antidepressant Print and Television Advertising, 1995–2007

The authors evaluated fair balance in the presentation of risks and benefits in a large sample of direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription antidepressant medications appearing in magazines (1995–2006) and television (1999–2007) to assess how well they meet U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines. Using content analysis to capture relevant dimensions of the ads, results indicated that (a) considerably less attention is given to risks relative to benefits and (b) implicit ad content favors communication of drug benefits over risks, but that fair balance in direct-to-consumer ads has improved over time. The authors discuss policy implications and explore future research directions.
Optical variability in the unusual K5 V infrared-excess star HD 98800

The dusty infrared-excess star HD 98800 (K5 V) was observed for several weeks in the spring of 1993 by the Vanderbilt/Tennessee State 0.4 m automatic photoelectric telescope. It was found to be a variable star with an amplitude of 0.07 mag in V and a period of 14.7 days. We show, by comparison with other chromospherically active variable stars and constant stars with good observational histories, that the Rossby number for HD 98800, determined to be 0.30, places it well within the regime of stars whose convective envelopes and rotation rates combine to drive a magnetic dynamo strong enough to generate photometrically observable starspots. The light curve suggests at least two large spots at somewhat different longitudes on HD 98800, one of which could be as large as 16 deg in radius.
A counterexample-guided abstraction-refinement framework for markov decision processes

The main challenge in using abstractions effectively is to construct a suitable abstraction for the system being verified. One approach that tries to address this problem is that of counterexample guided abstraction refinement (CEGAR), wherein one starts with a coarse abstraction of the system, and progressively refines it, based on invalid counterexamples seen in prior model checking runs, until either an abstraction proves the correctness of the system or a valid counterexample is generated. While CEGAR has been successfully used in verifying nonprobabilistic systems automatically, CEGAR has only recently been investigated in the context of probabilistic systems. The main issues that need to be tackled in order to extend the approach to probabilistic systems is a suitable notion of “counterexample”, algorithms to generate counterexamples, check their validity, and then automatically refine an abstraction based on an invalid counterexample. In this article, we address these issues, and present a CEGAR framework for Markov decision processes.
The steady motion of an interface between two viscous liquids in a capillary tube

Abstract The displacement of one viscous fluid by another in a capillary tube, under conditions of negligible inertial and gravitational forces, was simulated by a Galerkin finite-element method. The interface between phases was modeled as perfectly mobile, with interfacial tension. Wall slip was introduced to remove a force singularity which arises in hydrodynamic analyses of moving contact lines employing the no-slip boundary condition. Solutions for interfacial shape, velocity and pressure fields were obtained for a range of capillary numbers, contact angles and viscosity ratios. At large capillary numbers, interfacial shapes deviated markedly from constant curvature, particularly near the contact line. Toroidal vortices formed in either the advancing or receding phase, depending on the viscosity ratio, contact angle, and capillary number.
Electron transport in heterojunctions and superlattices

Abstract Theoretical and experimental results are presented for high field transport in heterojunction structures parallel to the layers. It is shown that these structures exhibit new transport effects with high potential for device applications. A novel oscillator principle and novel storage and switching phenomena are described. These effects are real-space analogies to well-known k-space effects such as the Gunn effect.
A direct and inverse problem for a hill's matrix with double eigenvalues☆

Abstract A Hill's matrix Lϱp of odd order is considered, corresponding to the theory of Hill's equations. Necessary and suf sufficient conditions on the coefficients of such a matrix are established in order that the matrices L1 and L−1 have all double eigenvalues except one.
Nickel Ions Increase Histone H3 Lysine 9 Dimethylation and Induce Transgene Silencing

We have previously reported that carcinogenic nickel compounds decreased global histone H4 acetylation and silenced the gpt transgene in G12 Chinese hamster cells. However, the nature of this silencing is still not clear. Here, we report that nickel ion exposure increases global H3K9 mono- and dimethylation, both of which are critical marks for DNA methylation and long-term gene silencing. In contrast to the up-regulation of global H3K9 dimethylation, nickel ions decreased the expression and activity of histone H3K9 specific methyltransferase G9a. Further investigation demonstrated that nickel ions interfered with the removal of histone methylation in vivo and directly decreased the activity of a Fe(II)-2-oxoglutarate-dependent histone H3K9 demethylase in nuclear extract in vitro. These results are the first to show a histone H3K9 demethylase activity dependent on both iron and 2-oxoglutarate. Exposure to nickel ions also increased H3K9 dimethylation at the gpt locus in G12 cells and repressed the expression of the gpt transgene. An extended nickel ion exposure led to increased frequency of the gpt transgene silencing, which was readily reversed by treatment with DNA-demethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine. Collectively, our data strongly indicate that nickel ions induce transgene silencing by increasing histone H3K9 dimethylation, and this effect is mediated by the inhibition of H3K9 demethylation.
New dual gate-BRT structures with encased FBSOA

In order to improve the forward biased safe operating area (FBSOA) of the Dual Gate-BRT (DG-BRT) in IGBT mode, the characteristics of the three different kind of structures: (a) with low P-channel resistance (R/sub M/) under the off-gate; (b) low P-base resistance (R/sub B/) under the N/sup +/ emitter region; and (c) low P-base spreading resistance (R/sub S/) at the side of the N/sup +/ emitter region, were investigated by two-dimensional numerical simulation. It was found that reducing R/sub M/ by using the accumulation mode P-MOSFET results in a relatively small improvement in FBSOA but leads to a large snapback in the on-state J-V curve. On the other hand, reducing R/sub B/ and R/sub S/ using a highly doped P-base region or by including a subsurface P/sup +/ implant in the P-base region results in a large increase in FBSOA. An excellent current saturation is observed in the structure with higher P-base doping concentration and P/sup +/ subsurface implantation with no thyristor latch-up even for +15 V applied to the on-gate.
The “hallucination” bound for the BSC

Though the schemes are different, both Horstein's and Kudryashov's non-block strategies for communication with feedback over the binary-symmetric channel asymptotically achieve the identical reliability function (error exponent); a function that displays some curious features. For positive rates it is strictly larger than Burnashev's reliability function and transitions discontinuously at the channel capacity from a strictly positive value to zero. The purpose of this paper is to connect this reliability function to familiar coding contexts and to demonstrate that it provides an upper bound on the error exponents achievable in these contexts. We first show that this function gives a lower bound on the minimum probability of decoding error across codewords in a block-coding context with (or without) feedback. We then show that the same reliability function also gives an upper bound on the maximum probability of bit error in a non-block "streaming" context where noiseless feedback is available and the destination is (occasionally) allowed to declare erasures (per Forney). The basic insight underlying the bound leads to the moniker the "hallucination" bound.
Coupling Wind Generators with Deferrable Loads

We explore the possibility of directly coupling deferrable loads with wind generators in order to mitigate the variability and randomness of wind power generation. Loads engage in a contractual agreement of deferring their demand for power by a fixed amount of time and wind generators optimally allocate available wind power with the objective of minimizing the cost of unscheduled and variable supply. We simulate the performance of the proposed coupling in a market environment and we demonstrate its compatibility with existing technology, grid operations and economic incentives. The results indicate that the combination of existing deregulated power markets and demand side flexibility could support large scale integration of wind power without significant impacts on grid operations and without the requirement for prohibitive investments in backup generation.
A limited sampling strategy for estimating sirolimus area-under-the-concentration curve.

Sirolimus (SRL), a promising new immunosuppressive macrolide (1)(2)(3), displays unpredictable pharmacokinetic properties in humans. Measurement of a single trough concentration may reflect total drug exposure for drugs with consistent bioavailability and elimination properties, but not for drugs such as SRL that have variable bioavailability and unpredictable elimination characteristics. For such agents, area-under-the-concentration–time-curve (AUC) measurements have been used to estimate total drug exposure because they often correlate with pharmacodynamic effects (4)(5)(6). Although the relation between SRL AUC, the therapeutic effects of SRL, and toxicity has not been investigated, such a study might help elucidate the optimal therapeutic regimen for the drug. Sampling regimens for full pharmacokinetic profiles are frequently not clinically feasible because of both time and cost restraints. Therefore, limited sampling strategies have been devised to obtain reasonable estimates of drug exposure. Limited sampling AUC strategies have been used to monitor the exposure of patients to oil-based (Sandimmune®; Sandoz, Basel, Switzerland) (7)(8) or microemulsion (Neoral®, Sandoz) (9) formulations of cyclosporine (CsA) and to chemotherapeutic agents such as cyclophosphamide (10). The present report describes a clinically reliable sampling strategy to predict the AUC values for SRL to more efficiently evaluate the clinical significance of total exposure. In our study, 27 renal transplant recipients underwent a total of 77 full SRL pharmacokinetic profiles during the first year after the transplant procedure; 7 patients underwent pharmacokinetic profiling before the transplant procedure. SRL was administered once daily in a nonaqueous mixture (Rapamune®) provided by Wyeth–Ayerst Research, Princeton, NJ. …
Automatic Fall Detection and Activity Classification by a Wearable Embedded Smart Camera

Robust detection of events and activities, such as falling, sitting, and lying down, is a key to a reliable elderly activity monitoring system. While fast and precise detection of falls is critical in providing immediate medical attention, other activities like sitting and lying down can provide valuable information for early diagnosis of potential health problems. In this paper, we present a fall detection and activity classification system using wearable cameras. Since the camera is worn by the subject, monitoring is not limited to confined areas, and extends to wherever the subject may go including indoors and outdoors. Furthermore, since the captured images are not of the subject, privacy concerns are alleviated. We present a fall detection algorithm employing histograms of edge orientations and strengths, and propose an optical flow-based method for activity classification. The first set of experiments has been performed with prerecorded video sequences from eight different subjects wearing a camera on their waist. Each subject performed around 40 trials, which included falling, sitting, and lying down. Moreover, an embedded smart camera implementation of the algorithm was also tested on a CITRIC platform with subjects wearing the CITRIC camera, and each performing 50 falls and 30 non-fall activities. Experimental results show the success of the proposed method.
GABAergic and glutamatergic effects on behaviour in fetal sheep.

1. Studies were carried out in unanaesthetized fetal sheep at 125-135 days gestation to investigate neurotransmitters involved in behavioural state. 2. Catheters and electrodes were chronically placed to record tracheal and arterial pressure, electrocortical activity (ECoG), nuchal muscle activity and to instill drugs into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the fourth ventricle. 3. Administration of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists DL-2-amino-5-phosphopentanoic acid (AP5) or (+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzol[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10- iminemoleate (MK-801) increased the incidence of fetal behaviour characterized by low voltage ECoG, nuchal muscle activity and an increase in mean arterial blood pressure from 4.1 +/- 6 to 60.6 +/- 6.2% (mean +/- S.E.M.) (AP5; P = 0.003) and from 7.6 +/- 3.6 to 50.8 +/- 7.0% (MK-801; P = 0.004; values are expressed as the percentage of each 60 min period in which the state was present). 4. The incidence of fetal breathing during periods of low voltage (LV)-ECoG and nuchal muscle activity was 83.1 +/- 5.6%. The incidence of fetal breathing during LV-ECoG associated with nuchal muscle atonia was 63.1 +/- 5.0% before AP5 or MK-801 and 64.4 +/- 9.8% after instillation of these drugs. The amplitude of fetal breaths increased from 4.0 +/- 0.3 mmHg in low voltage ECoG periods to 6.7 +/- 0.8 mmHg (P = 0.006) during periods of low voltage with nuchal muscle activity. There was no significant change in breath timing during these periods.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Development of the Computer Interface Literacy Measure

Over the last fifteen years, computers have increasingly become a central component of our lives. During this period, educational research has focused on the effectiveness of computers as both tools for teaching and as a replacement for more traditional instruction. This research has indicated that computer literacy can have a significant impact on a student's ability to learn in a computer-mediated environment. However, there is currently no widely accepted definition of computer literacy nor recent scale-to measure it. The definitions and scales that do exist are specific to the prevailing technology at the time of their development. Because of the rapidly changing face of technology, the current usefulness of these scales is limited with respect to graphical user interfaces. This study represents an effort to redefine computer literacy to include competencies for using graphical user interfaces for operating systems, hypermedia applications, and the Internet. The Computer Interface Literacy Measure (CI...
A Modelof Competitive Limit Pricing

This paper offers a new theory of limit pricing. Incumbents from different markets or regions “compete” against one another, with each attempting to price in a manner that deflects entry into the others' markets. An entrant is imperfectly informed as to the incumbents' respective investments in cost reduction and seeks to enter markets in which incumbents have high costs. In a focal equilibrium, the entrant uses a simple “comparison strategy,” in which it enters only the highest-priced markets, and incumbents engage in limit-pricing behavior. The influence on pricing of the number of markets and the scope of entry is also reported. Throughout, the central feature of the analysis is that an incumbent's price affects its investment incentives, with lower prices being complementary to greater investment.
Service-learning's effect on engineering students and K-12 teacher partnership in an "Introduction to mechanical engineering" course

This paper describes the engineering student and K-12 teacher partnership and impact on student learning from the four elements of service-learning: identify community need and form partnership; design and implement solution; evaluation; and reflection. Service learning is a method in which students learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized activities that are integrated into and enhance academic learning for students while meeting a community need. Results based on evaluation of 83 students and 44 teacher partners over a two-year period indicate that the partnership in ME 125, "Introduction to Mechanical Engineering", has a positive impact on meeting the engineering education needs for a majority of students as well as meeting a community educational need for a majority of the teacher partners.
Perimenopausal symptoms, quality of life, and health behaviors in users and nonusers of hormone therapy

Purpose: This pilot study was designed to determine the difference in frequency and distress related to perimenopausal symptoms in users and nonusers of hormone therapy (HT), to identify the difference in quality of life (QoL) indicators, and to determine if there is a relationship between QoL and frequency and distress of symptoms for users and nonusers of HT between the ages of 40 and 55 years. Data source: Self-reported responses to the Perimenopause Assessment Questionnaire with five QoL indicators imbedded, the Women’s Health Assessment Scale, height, weight, and body mass index from 77 users and 89 nonusers of HT. Conclusions: More users reported using HT to control perimenopausal symptoms than for birth control or gynecological problems. Nonusers reported a higher percentage of a variety of symptoms compared to users, with more psychosomatic symptoms being reported. Both groups identified lack of energy as the most frequent and distressful symptom. There was a significant difference in frequency of symptoms between groups and a significant difference in distress of symptoms. There were significant negative correlations with the five QoL indicators and frequency and distress of symptoms for users and nonusers of HT, with exception of stress and frequency of symptoms for users. More psychosomatic symptoms were correlated with QoL for nonusers. Cold sweats, loss of interest, miserable and sad, and life not worth living were highly significant for nonusers with QoL, while feeling unattractive, decreased well-being, and lack of enjoyment for users was highly significant. Implications for practice: Perimenopause is more than hot flashes and abnormal menses. A checklist of perimenopausal symptoms should be used as an assessment tool at each annual visit or more frequently to determine the significance of the symptoms a woman might be experiencing. Assessing the perimenopausal knowledge base is very important. Most importantly, there is a need for perimenopausal educational programs to be developed and implemented.
A Review of: “Brunello Vigezzi, The British Committee on the Theory of International Politics (1954–1985)”

In 1954 Dean Rusk and Kenneth Thompson, representing the Rockefeller Foundation, organized a committee of select American thinkers to address theoretical questions of world affairs. They speedily p...
Resolution and brightness characteristics of short-lag spatial coherence (SLSC) images

We previously described a novel beamforming method that images the spatial correlation of an echo wave field with demonstrated applications to clutter reduction in high-noise environments. In this paper, several characteristics of the resolution and brightness of short-lag spatial coherence (SLSC) images formed by this method are compared with B-mode images formed by conventional delay-and-sum beamforming methods. Point target widths were measured to estimate resolution, the autocorrelation of image texture was measured to estimate texture size, and the contrast (i.e., brightness ratio) of clinically relevant targets was assessed. SLSC images demonstrate improved resolution and contrast with increasing values of channel noise and clutter, whereas B-mode resolution was degraded in the presence of high noise (i.e., > −12 dB channel noise-to-signal ratios) and high clutter magnitudes (i.e., > −21 dB relative to point target magnitude). Lateral resolution in SLSC images was improved with increasing lag value, whereas axial resolution was degraded with increasing correlation kernel length. The texture size of SLSC images was smaller than that of matched B-mode images. Results demonstrate that the resolution and contrast of coherence-based images depend on a range of parameters, but are generally superior to those of matched B-mode images under challenging imaging conditions.
Radiation therapy for primary intracranial germ-cell tumors

Purpose : To evaluate the diagnosis, therapy, and survival of patients with intracranial germ-cell tumors. To define the role of prophylactic craniospinal irradiation and chemotherapy necessary to impact on survival. Methods and Materials : Forty-eight patients with surgically confirmed or suspected primary intracranial germ-cell tumors treated at UCSF between 1968-1990 were reviewed. Thirty-four patients had a pathologic diagnosis, including 24 germinomas, 3 malignant teratomas, 2 choriocarcinomas, 1 embryonal carcinoma, 1 endodermal sinus tumor, and 3 mixed tumors. Information obtained included histology, location, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (B-HCG), metastatic evaluation, radiation details, survival, and sites of failure. Minimum follow-up time was 2 years and ranged to a maximum of 24 years, with a median of 8 years. Results : Median age at diagnosis was 16 years with 36 males and 12 females. Ten of 32 patients had elevated B-HCG at diagnosis ; 6 of 29 had elevations of AFP. Cerebrospinal fluid cytology was negative in 35 of 36 patients evaluated ; myelography or spinal MRI was positive in only 1 of 31 patients studied. Five-year actuarial disease-free survival after irradiation was 91% for germinomas, 63% for unbiopsied tumors, and 60% for nongerminoma germ-cell tumors with doses of 50-54 Gy to the local tumor site with or without whole-brain or whole-ventricular irradiation. Routine prophylactic cranio-spinal axis irradiation was not given with a spinal only failure rate of 2%. Eleven of 48 patients have expired, with an actuarial 5-year survival rate of 100% for germinomas, 79% for nonbiopsied tumors, and 80% for nongerminoma germ-cell tumors. Conclusion : With complete diagnostic craniospinal evaluation, spinal irradiation is not necessary. Cure rates for germinomas are excellent with irradiation alone. Multidrug chemotherapy is necessary with irradiation for nongerminoma germ-cell tumors. Histology is the most important prognostic factor ; therefore, all patients should have surgical conformation of their diagnosis so that apprapriate treatment can be given.
The Accurate Ultrasonic Measurement of the Volume Flow of Blood by Time Domain Correlation

A new ultrasonic flow measurement method employing time domain correlation of consecutive pairs of echoes has been developed. The time shift between a pair of range gated echoes is determined by searching for t he shift with the maximum correlation. This shift indicates the distance a group of scatterers has moved between pulses. The high precision and good resolution of the velocity estimate indicate that quantitative flow mapping is possible. T otal flow through the vessel is calculated and compared to accurate hydrodynamic flow measurements in order to determine the overall experimental accuracy of the time domain method.
A Dual Form of Ramsey's Theorem

Abstract Let k ϵ ω , where ϵ is the set of all natural numbers. Ramsey's Theorem deals with colorings of the k -element subsets of ω. Our dual form deals with colorings of the k -element partitions of ω. Let ( ω ) k (respectively ( ω ) ω ) be the set of all partitions of ω having exactly k (respectively infinitely many) blocks. Given X ϵ ( ω ) ω let ( X ) k be the set of all Y ϵ ( ω ) k such that Y is coarser than X. Dual Ramsey Theorem . If ( ω ) k = C 0 ∪ … ∪ C t −1 where each C i is Borel then there exists X ϵ ( ω ) ω such that ( X ) k ⊆ C i for some i l . Dual Galvin-Prikry Theorem . Same as before with k replaced by ω. We also obtain dual forms of theorems of Ellentuck and Mathias. Our results also provide an infinitary generalization of the Graham-Rothschild “parameter set” theorem [ Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 159 (1971), 257–292] and a new proof of the Halpern-Lauchli Theorem [ Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 124 (1966), 360–367].
The Art of Attorney Interaction and Courtroom Testimony

Abstract Context.—In our society it is well for a physician to know something of the workings of court and how to interact with attorneys. One need not go to law school to successfully navigate a legal proceeding as a physician witness. Objective.—To show that a physician skilled at interacting with colleagues and patients can successfully apply those skills to interacting with attorneys and testifying in court. Data Sources.—This work is based primarily on the author's experience in interacting with attorneys and testifying in court, with supplemental contributions from textbooks. Conclusions.—Skillful testifying is simply the transmission of medical information in court in a professional, polite, and compelling manner, an ability within the grasp of any physician who has mastered the art of working with colleagues and patients. Careful, honest assessment of the medical matters in a legal case places a physician in a strong position, which the physician can maintain by remaining polite, even in the face ...
Tactical and Atmospheric Coherent Laser Radar Technology

Infrared laser radars constitute a direct extension of conventional radar techniques to very short wavelengths. Whether they are called Lidar (Light detection and ranging) or Ladar (Laser detection and ranging), they operate on the same basic principles as microwave radars. Because they operate at much shorter wavelengths, Lidars are capable of higher accuracy and more precise resolution than microwave radars. On the other hand, Lidars are subject to the vagaries of the atmosphere and are thus generally restricted to shorter ranges than microwave radar. Rather than supplanting microwave radar, Lidar opens up new applications that exploit the great shift in wavelength. Lidar applications include: Tactical imaging systems Missile guidance Aircraft guidance Clear air turbulence and severe storms sensors Fire control and line-of-sight command systems Remote sensing of atmospheric constituents Satellite tracking
Trophic control of grassland production and biomass by pathogens

Current theories of trophic regulation of ecosystem net primary production and plant biomass incorporate herbivores, but not plant pathogens. Obstacles to the incorporation of pathogens include a lack of data on pathogen effects on primary production, especially outside agricultural and forest ecosystems, and an apparent inability to quantify pathogen biomass. Here, I report the results of an experiment factorially excluding foliar fungal pathogens and insect herbivores from an intact grassland ecosystem. At peak in control plots, 8.9% of community leaf area was infected by pathogens. Disease reduction treatment dramatically increased root production and biomass by increasing leaf longevity and photosynthetic capacity. In contrast, herbivory reduction had no detectable effects at the ecosystem or leaf scale. Additionally, biomass of foliar fungal pathogens in the ecosystem was comparable with that of insect herbivores. These results identify pathogens as potential regulators of ecosystem processes and promote the incorporation of pathogens into trophic theory.
Morphometric analysis of intact sperm heads and of sperm nuclei in the mouse

A morphometric analysis of mouse sperm and of their nuclei was undertaken to investigate their respective post-testicular maturation. Sperm were collected from the testis, caput and cauda epididymidis, and their corresponding nuclei were isolated. Results indicate that the post-testicular maturation of sperm is distinct from that of nuclei. The size of intact sperm heads increases in the caput followed by a subsequent decrease in the cauda. In contrast, sperm nuclei decrease progressively in size. In general, a greater magnitude and number of alterations in intact heads and nuclei occur while in transit from the testis to the caput than during passage to the cauda epididymis. These results suggest that the period immediately following their release from the testis is crucial to the complete morphological maturation of sperm heads and nuclei. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Kinetics of the triplet state of 2,3-dichloroquinoxaline from microwave-induced phosphorescence transients

The phosphorescent state of 2,3-dichloroquinoxaline doped into single crystals of durene and 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene has been studied using several methods based upon optical detection of magnetic resonance (ODMR). Flash excitation and continuous optical pumping methods are described and analysed. Phosphorescent transient effects caused by spin-lattice relaxation and variable intersystem crossing rates are observed and described using first-order solutions of the appropriate rate equations. The effects of spatial polarization of the phosphorescence (anisotropic spatial distribution of phosphorescence intensity) of single crystals on ODMR signals is observed and discussed. The spatial polarization of emission can cause difficulties in determining relative radiative rate constants of the triplet sublevels in oriented samples, but can yield information about the linear polarization of the emission analogous to that obtained by conventional means using polarizers.
Severity and correlates of liver disease in hepatitis C virus–infected injection drug users☆

Between May 1996 and June 1998, 210 members of a cohort of 1,667 hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected injection drug users (IDUs) were selected for liver biopsy procedure after stratification based on 2 consecutive serum alanine transaminase (ALT) levels. Liver histology, which could be fully evaluated for 207 subjects, was classified by using the modified Ishak scores. At the time of biopsy, the median age of subjects was 41.3 years and the median estimated duration of HCV infection was 20.7 years; 94% were African American; 78% men; 31% were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seropositive; and 76% had HCV genotype 1a or 1b. Total modified histologic activity index (MHAI) scores ranged from 0 to 9, and 26.6% had a total MHAI score of 5 or greater. Persons with a total MHAI score of 5 or greater were more likely to be HIV infected (P =.04). Higher fibrosis, indicated by Ishak modified fibrosis scores of 3 to 6, was present in 10.1% of subjects and was found more often in those older than 46 years of age (the highest quartile) (P <.01). Both fibrosis scores of 3 or greater and total scores of 5 or greater were associated with elevated ALT, aspartate transaminase (AST), and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels (P <.01). When serial values were considered, the results of liver enzyme testing could reduce the probability of an IDU having a fibrosis score of 3 or greater from 10% to 3%. In conclusion, these data indicate that severe liver disease is uncommon in this urban, HCV-infected IDU cohort, especially in younger persons and those with repeatedly normal liver enzymes.
Uncovering the History of Operating Room Attire through Photographs.

Background:Although early proponents for each of the four basic articles of operating room clothing—gowns, caps, masks, and gloves—can be identified, it is unclear from historical commentaries when each article achieved general acceptance and was consistently worn by surgeons and by anesthesia provi
DNA stability and schizophrenia in twins.

The goal of these experiments was to understand DNA changes relevant to schizophrenia. This work compared DNA of monozygotic (MZ) twins surrounding (CAG)n repeating sequences, and characterized the relationship between fragile sites and schizophrenia. Twelve twin-pairs, previously classified as MZ and 18 unrelated sib-pairs, from seven families were studied. Eight twin-pairs were affected by schizophrenia, four concordantly and four discordantly. DNA comparisons were made using profiles of electrophoretic size fractionations of PCR amplified (CAG)n containing genomic fragments. These profiles were generated by a new method, developed by us, called targeted genomic differential display (TGDD). Surprisingly, the number of peak profile differences in MZ twin-pairs discordant for schizophrenia was greater than the concordantly ill twins and the well twins and, in some cases, overlapped the range of sib-pairs. These results might mean that some twins were not MZ but it was not possible to definitively test these samples for zygosity. Alternatively, the results might be explained as an increased mutation rate (or genomic instability) around (CAG)n sites in individuals afflicted with schizophrenia. Also, we uncovered an association of schizophrenia (i.e., a linkage of chromosomal abnormalities and gene localizations) with fragile sites spread throughout the genome (χ2, P = 0.001). Furthermore, it appears that an increasing number of genes linked to schizophrenia are associated with (CAG)n sequences. Fragile sites and (CAG)n repeat sequences are known to be unstable. We speculate the association of genomic instability with schizophrenia accounts for seemingly disparate biological and environmental factors that influence disease occurrence. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Marketing Retirement Communities to Older Consumers

Society is aging world-wide. This affords retirement communities an excellent opportunity if developers understand the preferences of the aging population. Using a national random sample, this study employs a segmentation analysis based on factors directly related to older consumers’ needs and lifestyles. Cluster analysis suggests four segments of the mature consumer market, each having different preferences and motives. This study provides a basis for designing an effective marketing strategy for retirement communities, which is central to meeting the objective of real estate developers and marketers of such communities.
Tuning the Mechanical Properties of Recombinant Protein-Stabilized Gas Bubbles Using Triblock Copolymers

Gas bubbles enhance contrast in ultrasound sonography and can also carry and deliver therapeutic agents. The mechanical properties of the bubble shell play a critical role in determining the physical response of gas bubbles under ultrasound insonation. Currently, few methods allow for tailoring of the mechanical properties of the stabilizing layers of gas bubbles. Here, we demonstrate that blending of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO) amphiphilic triblock copolymer with a recombinant protein, oleosin, enables the tuning of the mechanical properties of the bubble stabilizing layer. The areal expansion modulus of gas bubbles, as determined by micropipette aspiration, depends on the structure as well as the concentration of PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymers. We believe our method of using a mixture of PEO-PPO-PEO and oleosin can potentially lead to the formation of microbubbles with stabilizing shells that can be functionalized and tailored for specific applications ...
Industry Cooperation in Frozen Food Distribution Research

N THE brief time allotted to me, I would like to set forth a few principles that are essential to effective cooperation between the marketing research worker and industry. These principles are almost elementary, but I fear that they have not been given adequate consideration by those of us in marketing research. We have attempted to apply these principles in research on frozen food distribution, and we believe that the results obtained warrant further thought. These principles are: (1) Have something useful to offer industry in return for its cooperation; (2) take advantage of industry counsel during the planning phase of the study; (3) formulate survey questions so that they are clearly associated with the purposes of the study; and (4) include only questions germane to the objectives and formulated in such a manner that the minimum confidential information is requested. There are two additional principles related to maintaining future cooperation with industry. They are: (1) Provide timely reports on results of the study; and (2) direct the findings of the study into proper channels for action within the trade.
Female Veterans Who Died by Suicide: Qualitative Analysis of Medical Records

ABSTRACTThe suicide rate among female veterans increased 40% between 2000 and 2010, yet very little research has examined the unique psychosocial and health needs of veteran women at high risk for suicide. We describe female veterans’ psychosocial experiences, primary health concerns, and health care received prior to suicide to identify areas for future efforts to improve care and reduce suicide in this population. We conducted a qualitative analysis of the Veterans Affairs (VA) health care records of 27 female veterans, drawn from 11 states, during the six months prior to suicide. The women were mostly White, non-Hispanic, and not married, with an average age of 44 (range 26 to 67). We identified several common experiences: non-military-related trauma, lack of supportive relationships, substance use disorders, and prescription of multiple sedatives. We also observed that communication between patients and clinicians may have been insufficient, resulting in undetected or unmet needs. The findings call fo...
Increased Susceptibility to Herpes Simplex in Mice Subjected to Avoidance-Learning Stress or Restraint.∗

SummaryStress induced in mice by avoidance-learning or by restraint resulted in an increased susceptibility to infection with the virus of herpes simplex.
Is the direction of greater Granger causal influence the same as the direction of information flow

Granger causality is an established statistical measure of the “causal influence” that one stochastic process X has on another process Y. Along with its more recent generalization - Directed Information - Granger Causality has been used extensively in neuroscience, and in complex interconnected systems in general, to infer statistical causal influences. More recently, many works compare the Granger causality metrics along forward and reverse links (from X to Y and from Y to X), and interpret the direction of greater causal influence as the “direction of information flow”. In this paper, we question whether the direction yielded by comparing Granger Causality or Directed Information along forward and reverse links is always the same as the direction of information flow. We explore this question using two simple theoretical experiments, in which the true direction of information flow (the “ground truth”) is known by design. The experiments are based on a communication system with a feedback channel, and employ a strategy inspired by the work of Schalkwijk and Kailath. We show that in these experiments, the direction of information flow can be opposite to the direction of greater Granger causal influence or Directed Information. We also provide information-theoretic intuition for why such counterexamples are not surprising, and why Granger causality-based information-flow inferences will only get more tenuous in larger networks. We conclude that one must not use comparison/difference of Granger causality to infer the direction of information flow.