cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Efficacy of Implanted Cardioverter-Defibrillator in Patients With Versus Without Diabetes Mellitus

In the second Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial, patients with a previous myocardial infarction and left ventricular ejection fraction ≤0.30 benefited significantly from prophylactic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) placement. Diabetic patients who had a myocardial infarction had a worse prognosis compared with nondiabetics. The present study used data from the second Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial to assess the efficacy of ICD placement on survival in diabetic patients. Of the 1,232 patients in the second Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial, 489 were characterized as diabetic. They were more likely to be New York Heart Association class II to IV, be hypertensive, have renal dysfunction, have an increased body mass index, and to take diuretic drugs. Diabetic patients had a 24% greater adjusted risk of death than nondiabetic patients. The hazard ratio (HR) for the risk of death in patients treated with the ICD compared with conventional therapy was similar in diabetics (HR 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.38 to 0.98) and nondiabetics (HR 0.71; 95% CI 0.49 to 1.05), with no evidence of interaction. Thus, diabetic patients derive a similar benefit from ICD therapy despite being sicker and having a higher mortality rate overall.
Computed Tomography and Psychiatric Disorders

Excerpt To the editor: The recent papers by Larson and colleagues (1) on the cost effectiveness of computed tomography (CT) scanning in psychiatric patients is in the good company of many similar s...
Bremssstrahlung and zero-energy Rindler photons

The bremsstrahlung effect is analyzed in the frame coaccelerating with the charge. In particular, it is shown that the usual rate of photon emission with a given transverse momentum computed in the inertial frame can be interpreted as the combined rate of emission (adsorption) of zero-energy Rindler photons into (from) the thermal bath as calculated in the particle rest frame.
1841 DEGREE OF PERIODIC BREATHING PER GESTATIONAL AGE: IS THERE A CORRELATION?

Periodic breathing is a common pattern of respiration in premature infants. Home cardiorespiratory monitoring of premature infants with periodic breathing has been advocated to detect and prevent associated episodes of prolonged apnea. Since periodic breathing is thought to be related to maturity of the respiratory control center one might expect that percent of periodic breathing would decrease with increasing gestational age. The purpose of this study was to define the mean percent of periodic breathing per gestational age in premature infants. Pneumograms from 153 premature infants were reviewed. Infants were studied for suspected clincal apnea and/or bradycardia. All infants were studied prior to starting theophylline. Percent periodicity of breathing was obtained from the tracings by calculating the time of periodic breathing/sleep time. Periodic breathing was defined as three or more apneic pauses of greater than 3 seconds but less than 10 seconds within periods of normal respiration of 20 seconds or less. The above data indicate that there is no correlation with gestational age, specifically there is no trend of decreasing periodicity with increasing gestational age. We conclude that gestational age in preterm infants is not predictive of the percentage of periodic breathing.
Limited Feedback Precoder Design for Spatially Correlated MIMO Channels

It is well-known that perfect channel state information (CSI) at the transmitter and the receiver (CSIT/CSIR) can be used to decompose a multi-antenna channel into a bank of parallel channels. While perfect CSIR maybe a reasonable assumption for practical systems, perfect CSIT is generally difficult to achieve. Recent attention in communication systems design has thus shifted towards limited feedback schemes where partial CSI is fed back from the receiver to the transmitter. In this work, we consider a preceding scheme which excites a subset of the transmit dimensions with independent data. The main focus is on systematic quantized precoder designs that bridge the gap between statistical preceding and perfect CSIT preceding in spatially correlated channels. In this work, we propose an asymptotic perturbation theory-inspired codebook design obtained from a quantization of the local neighborhood around the statistically dominant preceding direction(s). This design is implemented in practice by maps that can rotate and shrink sets on the Grassmannian manifold. Numerical results show substantial gains can be achieved with the proposed design over statistical preceding.
Infraumbilical Anterior Retroperitoneal Exposure of the Lumbar Spine in 128 Consecutive Patients

Anterior spinal fusion can be approached through a retroperitoneal exposure lessening the risks of intra-abdominal exploration. The aim of this study is to report the complication rate and risk factors associated with anterior spinal fusion. A retrospective review and analysis of 128 consecutive patients undergoing anterior lumbar fusion was performed looking to correlate potential risk factors with known serious complications of this operation such as vein injury, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and death. The overall complication rate was 15.5%, with 7.75% being considered serious complications. The most common complication was vein injury (5.4%), but no blood transfusions were required. Postoperatively, there was one death (0.8%), one pulmonary embolism, and one intraoperative hypoxic episode of undetermined etiology. Univariate analysis showed that vein injury was associated with increased operative time (p < .001) and associated with increased blood loss (p = .02) but not increased length of stay (p = .13). By multivariate analysis, operative time and length of stay were influenced by the approach of the operation (anterior alone versus anterior and posterior fixation), but not by the presence of vein injury or blood loss. In this large series of patients undergoing anterior spinal fusion by a dedicated surgical team, there was a single death, and although vein injury was the most frequent serious complication, it did not lead to an increase in operative time or length of stay.
Prognostic factors associated with antenatal subchorionic echolucencies

Abstract Objective This study was undertaken to determine prognostic factors in pregnancies with a subchorionic echolucency. Study design One hundred twenty-nine pregnancies with a subchorionic echolucency detected by ultrasound in our unit were identified. Ultrasound reports were reviewed for subchorionic echolucency location, size, gestational age, amniotic fluid volume, and fetal abnormalities. Adverse outcomes evaluated were pregnancy loss before 24 or 37 weeks (PTD) and intrauterine growth restriction. Medical records were reviewed for antenatal complications and neonatal outcomes. Results There were 7 (5.4%) pregnancy losses before 24 weeks and 24 (18.6%) pregnancies complicated by PTD. Of the 122 pregnancies reaching viability, those complicated by antepartum bleeding were more likely to deliver prematurely than those without bleeding, (26.6% vs 7.0%, P = .009). Maximum area of subchorionic echolucency, gestational age at subchorionic echolucency detection, amniocentesis, maternal age, and parity were not associated with PTD. Conclusion Patients with subchorionic echolucency appear to have a high incidence of PTD. Bleeding appears to be a reliable prognostic indicator.
Quantile Effects of Causal Factors on Crash Distributions

Crash data are heterogeneous because they are collected from different sources and locations at different times. This data heterogeneity may cause a significant bias in the estimation of standard errors for the coefficients as well as the coefficients' statistical inferences. In the past decade, several promising modeling strategies have been proposed to handle overdispersed crash data, most of which have focused on estimating the conditional mean crash count. This paper applies an alternative crash modeling approach: quantile regression (QR) in the context of a count data model. The application of QR to model crash frequency is illustrated, and empirical results are interpreted. Poisson gamma, the benchmark statistical model for crash counts, is referenced to estimate the covariate coefficients for the mean crash count. Focusing on the mean may result in important aspects of the data being missed. A more detailed analysis, using a QR model for crash count data, confirms that crash predictors have varying impacts on the different areas of the crash distribution. Moreover, the marginal effects of covariates provide a more direct observation of changes in the quantity, rather than the percentage, of crash frequency when responding to one-unit changes in regressors.
Paradigm for logical data integration of PACS and HIS

Currently, most medical information is scattered across diverse independent information systems, such as Hospital Information System (HIS), Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), and other medical databases, with varying degree of interconnectivity and data integration. In this environment, our objective is to collate text data, mostly in HIS, with relevant image data, mostly in PACS, transparently from different local sources and have them as a logically integrated whole. Even though there has been much research on designing PACS DBs and discussing issues of data integration, very few have addressed the dynamic nature of data integration in the context of medical informatics. With various reasons including security, it is desirable for a user to be able to create an integrated view based on data semantics, given data range, and security classification. In addition, the integrity of the integrated view should be maintained even with the local schema changes. In order to accomplish these capabilities, generic tools which can perform semi-automated integration of information have to be developed. In this paper, we will discuss the technical background regarding data integration of different local PACS DBs and HIS. Also, based on the integrated-view (or schema), several aspects of query processing are discussed.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Goal specification in cognitive-behavioral therapy for chronic headache pain

Setting goals for coping that are based on time enhances subjects' ability to withstand painful stimuli in laboratory analog studies. This study sought to determine whether explicit time goals for using coping strategies would enhance treatment outcome in a clinical population. Subjects were 33 patients with chronic headache assigned to one of three 6-week groups: a goal group, given specific time goals for using coping strategies; an open group, given instructions to use strategies for as long as possible; and a waiting-list control group. Both treatment groups showed greater use of pain coping skills at posttreatment than the control group. Subjects with time goals reported lower headache activity and reported reductions in nonnarcotic medication use, whereas the control and open groups did not. The study suggests that goal specification can enhance the general efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy for treatment of chronic headache pain.
Moving Beyond Sanctions: Evolving Integrated Strategies to Address Post-Conflict Natural Resource-Based Challenges in Liberia

Liberia is emerging from 14 years of war where it served as the epicentre in West Africa of conflict fuelled by disputes over natural resources. Almost three years after the signing of the Comprehe...
Understanding the blue copper proteins

a beautiful intense blue color and contain so-called Type I copper ions, which, in the +2 oxidation state, exhibit unusual electronic paramagnetic resonance spectra (EPR). In this issue, Antholine, Hanna, and McMillin report a notable advance in characterizing the Type I copper in these blue copper proteins. They have carried out a tour de force of the EPR spectroscopy and spectral analysis of the electron-transfer protein azurin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, achieving unusually high spectral resolution and definition of some of the magnetic and electric parameters which describe this copper site. The blue copper proteins, exemplified by plastocyanin, ceruloplasmin, azurin, and stellacyanin, are intriguing and have been subjects of investigation over
Activity pacing in daily life: A within-day analysis

Activity pacing is a widely used self-management strategy, but we lack a clear understanding of its nature and usefulness. One source of confusion is a lack of clarity about the use of pacing in everyday life (ie, naturalistic pacing) in people not trained on how to pace activities. It is unknown whether people engage in more pacing when pain is high (pain-contingent) or when fatigue is high (fatigue-contingent). Conversely, it is not known whether naturalistic pacing results in reduced symptoms. We conducted a multilevel daily process study in which participants with osteoarthritis (N=162) reported pain and fatigue severity and frequency of pacing behaviors 5times per day over 5days. We hypothesized that increased pain and fatigue would predict increased pacing and that pacing would have a short-term benefit in terms of decreased pain and fatigue. Multilevel modeling results showed that, as expected, both momentary pain and fatigue were positively associated with subsequent pacing behaviors. Contrary to our hypothesis, increased pacing was associated with higher subsequent levels of pain and fatigue. Naturalistic pacing seems symptom-contingent and not reinforced by symptom reduction. Naturalistic pacing may be distinct from trained or programmatic pacing in terms of outcomes, and further research into naturalistic pacing may provide an important foundation for how best to deliver activity pacing interventions.
Clinical electrophysiologic effects of encainide, a newly developed antiarrhythmic agent

Abstract Encainide is a newly developed antiarrhythmic agent. With the use of intracardiac electrophyslologic techniques, its effects on the cardiac conduction system were examined in 10 patients with coronary artery disease. Five patients received 0.6 and five received 0.9 mg/kg body weight of encainide intravenously over 15 minutes. Plasma concentration, heart rate, blood pressure and conduction intervals (A-H, H-V, QRS and Q-T) were measured before, during and after encainide infusion. In addition, sinus nodal recovery time, Wenckebach cycle length, and atrial, atrioventricular (A-V) nodal and right ventricular refractory periods were measured before and after encainide infusion. The average peak plasma concentration was 0.49 ± 0.35 μg/ml (mean ± standard error of the mean). Encainide significantly prolonged H-V and QRS intervals in all patients by an average of 31 ± 7 and 18 ± 9 percent (standard deviation) (P
The bias on the Joule heating estimate: Small-scale variability versus resolved-scale model uncertainty and the correlation of electric field and conductance

[1] Estimating the Joule heating rate using models of electric field and conductance requires removal of various biases, which arise because the models have uncertainty. This problem has been referred to as electric field variability, although variability of the conductance is also at issue. Variability of the conductance can contribute to the bias on Joule heating if it is correlated with the variability of the squared electric field. The term “variability,” however, includes two distinct sources of model uncertainty: physical fluctuations on a small scale below the resolution of the model (small-scale variability) and uncertainty in the model's predictions even on the scale that it does resolve (resolved-scale model uncertainty). Previous work has tended to mix small-scale variability with resolved-scale model uncertainty in a way that may have led to confusion. In this work we separately analyze the small-scale variability and the resolved-scale model uncertainty using the Sondrestrom radar database, and we find that each gives a significant contribution to the bias on Joule heating. We also analyze the correlation of conductance and squared electric field, again in a way that distinguishes the effect of correlation over small scales from the effect of correlation of the resolved-scale model uncertainties. We explain that small-scale variability, being the result of actual physical fluctuations on small scales, is a more general quantity than resolved-scale model uncertainty; the latter is only defined with respect to a particular model.
The resolution effect in the muon-neutrino-gamma correlation experiment revisited

Abstract Various methods of analyzing the μ-ν-γ correlation experiment are discussed. In particular, the non-analytic and analytic methods for fitting the resolution effect are compared for any possible deviation from accuracy.
Flow past a liquid drop with a large non-uniform radial velocity

In this analysis, the translation of a liquid drop experiencing a strong non-uniform radial velocity has been investigated. The situation arises when a moving liquid drop experiences condensation, evaporation or material decomposition at the surface. By simultaneously treating the flow fields inside and outside the drop, we have obtained physical results relevant to the problem. The magnitude of the radial velocity is allowed to be very large, but the drop motion is restricted to slow translation. The solution to the problem has been developed by considering a uniform radial flow with the translatory motion introduced as a perturbation. The role played by the inertial terms due to the strong radial field has been clearly delineated. The study has revealed several interesting features. An inward normal velocity on a slowly moving drop increases the drag. An increasing outward normal velocity decreases the drag up to a minimum beyond which it increases. The total drag force not only consists of contributions from the viscous and the form drags but also from the momentum transport at the interface. Since the liquid drop admits a non-zero tangential velocity, the tangential momentum convected by the radial velocity forms a part of this drag force. The circulation inside the drop decreases (increases) with an outward (inward) normal velocity. A sufficiently large non-uniform outward velocity causes the circulation to reverse.In the limit of the internal viscosity becoming infinite, our analysis collapses to the simple case of a translating rigid sphere experiencing a large non-uniform radial velocity. By letting the radial velocity become vanishingly small the Stokes-flow solution is recovered.An important contribution of the present study is the identification of a new singularity in the flow description. It accounts for both the inertial and the viscous forces and displays Stokeslet-like characteristics at infinity.
Feto-placental steroid metabolism in growth retarded human fetuses.

The goal of the study was the determination of the relative roles of the placenta and the fetus in causing low serum estriol (E3) levels in women bearing fetuses with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). Umbilical venous levels of E3 and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHAS) were measured in 31 samples from fetuses with IUGR, 21 of whom were vaginally delivered and 10 who were delivered by cesarean section. In addition, estrone (E1) and estradiol (E2) were measured in 11 of the samples. The results were compared with 11 samples from cesarean section delivered control term infants and 54 samples from vaginally delivered control infants. The vaginally delivered IUGR group had a significantly lower mean umbilical venous DHAS level than did their control group (2128 +/- 158 ng/ml SEM versus 2645 +/- 130, p less than 0.05). Both the vaginally delivered and cesarean section delivered IUGR infants had umbilical venous E3 levels significantly lower than in their control groups (70 +/- 10 ng/ml SEM versus 144 +/- 10, p less than 0.001, and 46 +/- 11 ng/ml SEM versus 136 +/- 23, p less than .01, respectively). Umbilical venous E1 and E2 levels were not different from the control values. E1, E2, E3, and DHAS were measured in eight maternal venous samples obtained from mothers bearing fetuses with IUGR. In comparison with 11 control mothers, only E3 was significantly different (10.7 +/- 3.0 ng/ml SEM in mothers with IUGR fetuses versus 25.0 +/- 4.9 in control mothers p less than 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Gallamine triethiodide (flaxedil): tetraethylammonium- and pancuronium-like effects in myelinated nerve fibers

Gallamine triethiodide (Flaxedil) is commonly used as a neuromuscular blocking agent. Voltage-clamp studies show that gallamine also directly affects amphibian and mammalian myelinated nerve fibers. Externally, gallamine is about five times more potent than tetraethylammonium in blocking potassium conductance, where this is present, but has no effect on the sodium channel. Internal application slows sodium inactivation, which in addition is often incomplete. At positive potentials, gallamine can occlude sodium channels, thereby almost eliminating outward sodium currents.
Click Chemistry in Materials Science

Despite originating only a little more than a decade ago, click chemistry has become one of the most powerful paradigms in materials science, synthesis, and modification. By developing and implementing simple, robust chemistries that do not require difficult separations or harsh conditions, the ability to form, modify, and control the structure of materials on various length scales has become more broadly available to those in the materials science community. As such, click chemistry has seen broad implementation in polymer functionalization, surface modification, block copolymer and dendrimer synthesis, biomaterials fabrication, biofunctionalization, and in many other areas of materials science. Here, the basic reactions, approaches, and applications of click chemistry in materials science are highlighted, and a brief look is taken into the future enabling developments in this field.
A comparison between subaerial and submarine eruptions at Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii: implications for the thermal viability of lateral feeder dikes

Eruption styles on the subaerial East Rift Zone (ERZ) of Kilauea volcano are reviewed and a classification scheme for the different types of eruption is proposed. The various eruption types are produced by differing thermal and driving pressure behaviour in the feeder dikes. Existing evidence is reviewed and new evidence presented of the types and volumes of eruptions on the Puna Ridge, which is the submarine extension of the ERZ. Eruptions on the Puna Ridge fall into the same five classes as, and are of comparable volume to, those on the subaerial ERZ. Evidence is presented which suggests that feeder dikes for Puna Ridge eruptions are more thermally viable than those feeding subaerial eruptions, and this difference causes long-lived, large-volume eruptions to be more common on the Puna Ridge than on the subaerial ERZ. This systematic variation in thermal viability may be due to increased dike width for Puna Ridge dikes or increased pressure gradients driving magma flow. Lateral dike emplacement is common to many basaltic systems including on other Hawaiian volcanoes, in Iceland and at mid-ocean ridges. The systematic trend inferred for the ERZ of Kilauea implies that in the other systems large-volume eruptions may also be more common at great distances than they are close to the magma centre.
Intracranial malignant meningioma mimicking frontalis-associated lipoma of the forehead

Malignant meningioma is an uncommon neoplasm of the central nervous system that rarely presents as an extracranial soft tissue mass. These malignancies may or may not be associated with intracranial lesions. In primary extracranial malignant meningioma, the tumor may arise from ectopic nests of arachnoid cells that follow cranial nerve pathways without involvement of bony structures. 1 In the case of intracranial malignant meningioma, the subcutaneous soft tissue mass extends directly from an underlying osteolytic skull lesion and intracranial tumor.2 Subfascial, or frontalis-associated, lipomas of the forehead were first described in Europe 3 and more recently in the American dermatologic literature.4 The differential diagnosis includes epidermoid cyst, pilar cyst, and, occasionally, dermoid cyst. We observed an intracranial malignant meningioma that bore a striking resemblance to a subfascial lipoma.
Alpha-synuclein immunopositive aggregates in the myenteric plexus of the aging Fischer 344 rat

Dystrophic axons and terminals are common in the myenteric plexus and smooth muscle of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of aged rats. In young adult rats, alpha-synuclein in its normal state is abundant throughout the myenteric plexus, making this protein-which is prone to fibrillization-a candidate marker for axonopathies in the aged rat. To determine if aggregation of alpha-synuclein is involved in the formation of age-related enteric neuropathies, we sampled the stomach, small intestine and large intestine of adult, middle-aged, and aged virgin male Fischer 344 rats stained for alpha-synuclein in both its normal and pathological states. Alpha-synuclein-positive dystrophic axons and terminals were present throughout the GI tract of middle-aged and aged rats, with immunohistochemical double labeling demonstrating co-localization within nitric oxide synthase-, calretinin-, calbindin-, or tyrosine hydroxylase-positive markedly swollen neurites. However, other dystrophic neurites positive for each of these four markers were not co-reactive for alpha-synuclein. Similarly, a subpopulation of alpha-synuclein inclusions contained deposits immunostained with an anti-tau phospho-specific Ser(262) antibody, but not all of these hyperphosphorylated tau-positive aggregates were co-localized with alpha-synuclein. The presence of heteroplastic and potentially degenerating neural elements and protein aggregates both positive and negative for alpha-synuclein suggests a complex chronological relationship between the onset of degenerative changes and the accumulation of misfolded proteins. Additionally, proteins other than alpha-synuclein appear to be involved in age-related axonopathies. Finally, this study establishes the utility of the aging Fischer 344 rat for the study of synucleopathies and tauopathies in the GI tract.
Production of graphite-chamotte nozzles at the Bogdanovich Refractories Plant

The Bogdanovich Refractories Plant has mastered the production of high-quality graphite-chamotte steel casting nozzles, satisfying the conditions of service for continuous steel casting. The factory has set up a specialized production line for manufacturing high-grade nozzles.
Cloning of plant cDNAs encoding calmodulin-binding proteins using 35 S-labeled recombinant calmodulin as a probe

Radiolabelled calmodulin has previously been used to screen cDNA expression libraries to isolate calmodulin-binding proteins. We have modified this technique for the isolation of plant calmodulin-binding proteins. [35S]-methionine was used instead of the inorganic [35S]-sulfate, or125I used in previous methods. In addition, theE. coli pET expression system was chosen to obtain high levels of recombinant calmodulin at the time of labelling. The procedure thus takes into account both the specific activity of the probe and the amount of protein necessary for screening a large number of filters. Here we describe in detail a procedure for the production and purification of [35S]-recombinant calmodulin and the use of the radiolabelled protein as a probe to screen plant cDNA expression libraries. The [35S]-labeled calmodulin probe easily detects the λICM-1 phage encoding a partial mouse calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II that was previously isolated using a [125I]-calmodulin probe (Sikela and Hahn, 1987). Subsequently, a tobacco root cDNA expression library was screened and a positive clone encoding a calcium-dependent calmodulin-binding protein was isolated.
Conformational structure, dynamics, and solvation energies of small alanine peptides in water and carbon tetrachloride.

ABSTRACT: The rate-limiting barrier for peptide transport across lipid bilayers is the nonpolar hydrocarbon interior. Permeating peptides may undergo conformational changes during their transfer from an aqueous solution into the barrier domain, thus facilitating peptide transport. To test this hypothesis, all-atom and explicit-solvent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been conducted on a series of small peptides, p -toluyl-Ala n ( n = 0–3) used previously in transport experiments, to explore their conformational structures, dynamics and solvation free energies in water and carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ). The conformations of the p -toluyl alanine di- and tri-peptides in water were found to be far from random coils, with P II and α R dominating but with smaller populations of seven-membered (c 7 ) and five-membered rings (c 5 ). In contrast, the seven-membered ring, c 7 , along with c 5 dominated in CCl 4 . These results indicate that the conformational preferences of the alanine peptides are highly sensitive to solvent. Dynamically, stable seven-membered ring formation occurred on a time scale of 10 ps while larger ring-sizes (e.g., 10-membered rings) were observed much less frequently. The values of adjacent torsional angles ( ϕ 1 , ψ 1 ) were dependent on neighboring torsional angles. Thermal motions of neighboring torsions leading to transitions between c 7 , c 5 , α R , and P II conformers were highly cooperative while longer range correlations between transitions of adjacent sets of torsions ( ϕ 1 , ψ 1 ) and ( ϕ 2 , ψ 2 ) were less evident. Peptide folding in CCl 4 lowers the intramolecular electrostatic energies. This, along with hydrophobic interactions, favors partitioning into CCl 4 . These effects only partially offset other types of intramolecular interactions and peptide–solvent polar interactions that are more favorable in water, leading to net transfer free energies (3–7 kcal/mol) that disfavor peptide transfer from water into carbon tetrachloride. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association
High-Tech versus Low-Tech Instructional Strategies: A Comparison of Clickers and Handheld Response Cards.

Although the use of clickers (classroom response systems) has been widely investigated, fewer studies directly compared outcomes for clickers with other active response methods, such as handheld re...
Optimal numerical methods for determining the orientation averages of single-scattering properties of atmospheric ice crystals

Abstract The optimal orientation averaging scheme (regular lattice grid scheme or quasi Monte Carlo (QMC) method), the minimum number of orientations, and the corresponding computing time required to calculate the average single-scattering properties (i.e., asymmetry parameter (g), single-scattering albedo ( ω o ) , extinction efficiency (Qext), scattering efficiency (Qsca), absorption efficiency (Qabs), and scattering phase function at scattering angles of 90° (P11 (90°)), and 180° (P11 (180°))) within a predefined accuracy level (i.e., 1.0%) were determined for four different nonspherical atmospheric ice crystal models (Gaussian random sphere, droxtal, budding Bucky ball, and column) with maximum dimension D = 10 μ m using the Amsterdam discrete dipole approximation at λ = 0.55 , 3.78, and 11.0 μ m . The QMC required fewer orientations and less computing time than the lattice grid. The calculations of P11 (90°) and P11 (180°) required more orientations than the calculations of integrated scattering properties (i.e., g, ω o , Qext, Qsca, and Qabs) regardless of the orientation average scheme. The fewest orientations were required for calculating g and ω o . The minimum number of orientations and the corresponding computing time for single-scattering calculations decreased with an increase of wavelength, whereas they increased with the surface-area ratio that defines particle nonsphericity.
The sticking coefficient of Ar on small Ar clusters

Abstract The sticking coefficient of Ar on small Ar clusters has been extracted by fitting the cluster size distribution, measured by T.A. Milne and F.T. Greene (J. Chem. Phys. 47 , 4095 (1967)) in their supersonic jet expansion experiment, with our theoretical calculation of the cluster size distribution based on a step-wise cluster growth model. The sticking coefficient was found to be very small for cluster sizes less than 4 atoms; it then rises to a saturation value at a size of ∼ 10 atoms.
A 52-Year-Old Smoker With an Incidental Pulmonary Nodule

52-year-old man was referred to our institution for evaluation of a pulmonary nodule. The patient presented to his primary-care physician with worsening cough a month prior to the current presentation when a chest radiograph revealed a questionable nodule in the right upper lung. The patient underwent a CT scan of the chest with contrast, which confi rmed the presence of a 9-mm nodule in the right upper lung. The patient was referred for work-up of this pulmonary nodule. Review of symptoms was positive only for the presence of cough associated with mucoid expectoration for the past few months. The patient had no signifi cant medical history, was a smoker (35-pack-year smoking history), and currently smoked 5 cigarettes/d. He denied any contact with sick peo ple or pets, travel, or history of malignancy in his family.
New changes in the low-energy particle cut-Off and spectrum of the primary cosmic radiation

At the Guanafuato conference on cosmic radiation some experiments were reported which showed that the primary cosmic-ray energy spectrum as well as the low-energy cut-off are not permanent features of cosmic radiation but undergo remarkable changes with time. This suggests that the mechanism responsible for the low-energy cut-off is operating within or in the vicinity of the solar system. lt was suggested at that time that the observed phenomena may be solar controlled and related to the activity cycle of the sun. Information on changes in spectrum and cut-off was obtained by measuring the nucleonic component intensity as a function of geometric latitude at high altitude. The results of the investigation are graphically shown. (A.C.)
Overview of the NASA balloon R&D program

The catastrophic balloon failure during the first half of the 1980's identified the need for a comprehensive and continuing balloon research and development (R&D) commitment by NASA. Technical understanding was lacking in many of the disciplines and processes associated with scientific ballooning. A comprehensive balloon R&D plan was developed in 1986 and implemented in 1987. The objectives were to develop the understanding of balloon system performance, limitations, and failure mechanisms. The program consisted of five major technical areas: structures, performance and analysis, materials, chemistry and processing, and quality control. Research activitites have been conducted at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)-Wallops Flight Facility (WFF), other NASA centers and government facilities, universities, and the balloon manufacturers. Several new and increased capabilities and resources have resulted from this activity. The findings, capabilities, and plan of the balloon R&D program are presented.
African American Children and Families in Child Welfare: Cultural Adaptation of Services, by Ramona W. Denby and Carla M. Curtis

Although the profession of social work is undeniably committed to honoring diversity, even today the variable of “race” remains undervalued in public child welfare. The sociocultural context of Afr...
Endovascular reconstruction for progressively worsening carotid artery dissection.

Background Carotid artery dissection is an important cause of stroke in young patients. Selection criteria for endovascular repair have not been well defined and limited data exist on long-term outcomes of stent reconstruction. Objective To report the immediate and long-term clinical and radiographic outcomes of patients treated with stent placement for progressively worsening symptomatic carotid arterial dissection despite antithrombotic therapy. Methods A single institution neuro-endovascular database was accessed to identify consecutive cases in which carotid artery dissection was treated with endovascular repair between 2006 and 2012. Clinical, demographic, radiographic, and procedural data were obtained through chart review. Results A total of 22 patients were identified and included 27 carotid artery dissection repairs with stent implantation. The mean age was 43 years (±8.7) with 13 patients being women. Traumatic dissections were seen in 9 (40.9%) patients and spontaneous dissections in 13 (59.1%) patients. All patients were symptomatic and were started on antithrombotic therapy on diagnosis. Most common indications for treatment included recurrent ischemia despite antithrombotic therapy in 15 (55.5%) arteries and enlarging dissecting aneurysm in 4 (14.8%) arteries. Mean degree of stenosis was 79.1%. Mean number of stents used was 1.88 (range 1–4). There was 1 (4.5%) asymptomatic peri-procedural thromboembolic event. Median clinical follow-up was 14 months (range 3–40) and median imaging follow-up was 14 months (range 3–38). There was 1 (4.5%) case of recurrent transient ischemic attack. There was no death, significant restenosis or stroke in the territory of the treated vessel during the duration of the follow-up. Conclusions Endovascular stent reconstruction for the treatment of selected patients with progressively worsening carotid dissection despite medical management is feasible with acceptable immediate and long-term clinical and radiographic outcomes. To be able to draw more robust conclusions, further evaluation with larger number of patients and longer follow-up is needed.
The Course of Childhood OCD, Its Antecedents, Onset, Comorbidities, Remission, and Reemergence: A 12-Year Case Report

The precursors of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and its course are described in a boy in our clinic. First seen at age 4 with choking phobia, OCD was first diag- nosed at age 9, was remitted by age 12, and did not reemerge again until age 16. Consistent with Kovacs and Devlin, we propose the course is consistent with biologically driven pro- cesses for internalizing disorders for children. This 12-year case report provides for observa- tion of the development and course of OCD. This case is unique in describing antecedent behavior to onset of OCD, which was early choking phobia or obsessions of swallowing large objects and compulsive reassurance seeking. It is unique in describing a single child patient who shows remission of OCD and later reemergence of OCD. Literatur eo f an empirical and theoretical nature support what can be learned in terms of the course and treatment of this childhood condition.
A High‐Performance Recycling Solution for Polystyrene Achieved by the Synthesis of Renewable Poly(thioether) Networks Derived from d‐Limonene

Nanocomposite polymers have been prepared using a new sustainable materials synthesis process in which d-Limonene functions simultaneously both as a solvent for recycling polystyrene (PS) waste and as a monomer that undergoes UV-catalyzed thiol-ene polymerization reactions with polythiol co-monomers to afford polymeric products comprised of precipitated PS phases dispersed throughout elastomeric poly(thioether) networks. These blended networks exhibit mechanical properties that greatly exceed those of either polystyrene or the poly(thioether) network homopolymers alone.
The Naturally Occurring Luteinizing Hormone Surge Is Diminished in Mice Lacking Estrogen Receptor Beta in the Ovary

Female ESR2-null mice (betaERKO) display defects in ovarian function and are subfertile. Follicular maturation is impaired and explains smaller litters, but betaERKO also produce fewer litters, which may be partially due to inadequate ovulatory signals. To test this, the amplitude and timing of the naturally occurring luteinizing hormone (LH) surge was measured in individual intact betaERKO and wild-type (WT) mice. Vaginal cytology was evaluated daily, and blood samples were taken from mice in proestrus. The amplitude of the LH surge was severely blunted in betaERKO mice compared to WT, but pituitary LH levels revealed no differences. The betaERKO mice did not produce a preovulatory estradiol surge. To determine if the smaller LH surges and the reduced number of litters in betaERKO were due to the lack of ESR2 in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis or due to the absence of ESR2 in the ovary, ovaries were transplanted from WT into betaERKO mice and vice versa. The size of the LH surge was reduced only in mice lacking ESR2 within the ovary, and these mice had fewer litters. Fertility and size of the LH surge were rescued in betaERKO mice receiving a WT ovary. These data provide the first experimental evidence that the LH surge is impaired in betaERKO females and may contribute to their reduced fertility. ESR2 is not necessary within the pituitary and hypothalamus for the generation of a normal LH surge and for normal fertility, but ESR2 is essential within the ovary to provide proper signals.
Superoxide Production by a Manganese-Oxidizing Bacterium Facilitates Iodide Oxidation

The release of radioactive iodine (i.e., iodine-129 and iodine-131) from nuclear reprocessing facilities is a potential threat to human health. The fate and transport of iodine are determined primarily by its redox status, but processes that affect iodine oxidation states in the environment are poorly characterized. Given the difficulty in removing electrons from iodide (I(-)), naturally occurring iodide oxidation processes require strong oxidants, such as Mn oxides or microbial enzymes. In this study, we examine iodide oxidation by a marine bacterium, Roseobacter sp. AzwK-3b, which promotes Mn(II) oxidation by catalyzing the production of extracellular superoxide (O2(-)). In the absence of Mn(2+), Roseobacter sp. AzwK-3b cultures oxidized ∼90% of the provided iodide (10 μM) within 6 days, whereas in the presence of Mn(II), iodide oxidation occurred only after Mn(IV) formation ceased. Iodide oxidation was not observed during incubations in spent medium or with whole cells under anaerobic conditions or following heat treatment (boiling). Furthermore, iodide oxidation was significantly inhibited in the presence of superoxide dismutase and diphenylene iodonium (a general inhibitor of NADH oxidoreductases). In contrast, the addition of exogenous NADH enhanced iodide oxidation. Taken together, the results indicate that iodide oxidation was mediated primarily by extracellular superoxide generated by Roseobacter sp. AzwK-3b and not by the Mn oxides formed by this organism. Considering that extracellular superoxide formation is a widespread phenomenon among marine and terrestrial bacteria, this could represent an important pathway for iodide oxidation in some environments.
Plasma Process Routes to Synthesis of Carbide, Boride and Nitride Ceramic Powders

An iterative technique to develop plasma processing, consisting of identifying materials with unique properties, calculating conversion efficiencies, product purity and power from thermodynamic data for the chemical reactions selected to produce it and modeling the process mathematically and physically to determine capital and labor costs is illustrated with production of silicon carbide and titanium diboride in Alcoa’s DC plasma facility. The work shows that submicron silicon carbide and titanium diboride containing less than 0.2% oxygen can be produced with plasmas at costs competitive with traditional processes. It has also been reported that aluminum nitride, a material which has the high thermal conductivity needed for high power electronic substrates, can be satisfactorily produced by reacting aluminum powder with nitrogen in an RF plasma system. Future application of plasmas for production of ceramics will depend on discovery of unique properties and cost effective process optimization.
T-independent IgA responses to microbial polysaccharides.

There is accumulating evidence indicating the presence in vivo of T -independent routes of IgA response in addition to the conventional T-dependent IgA response. Factors influencing these alternative pathways of IgA responses may include the structural characteristics of a stimulating antigen, the nature of responding B cells, and the microenvironment. The structural complexity of polysaccharide antigens has made it difficult to summarize a general scheme for the antibody responses they induce. Instead, one may expect that each individual polysaccharide may be able to create a unique microenvironment by activation of specific cell populations in the repertoires of non-T cell types. A specific pattern of B cell response may thus be elicited by TI stimulation. Recognition of such a unique property of a TI antigens is necessary for us to better understand the T -independent IgA response. Information obtained may have an impact on the development of vaccination strategies directed at the mucosal immunity mediated by IgA antibodies.
The Prostate Cancer Intervention Versus Observation Trial (PIVOT)

The Prostate Cancer Intervention Versus Observation Trial (PIVOT) is a randomized trial designed to determine whether radical prostatectomy or expectant management provides superior length and quality of life for men with clinically localized prostate cancer. Conducted at Department of Veterans Affairs and National Cancer Institute medical centers, PIVOT will enroll over 1,000 individuals < 75 years of age. The primary study end point is all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes include prostate cancer- and treatment-specific morbidity and mortality, health status, predictors of disease-specific outcomes, and cost-effectiveness. Within the first 3 years of enrollment, over 400 men have been randomized. Early analysis of participants' baseline characteristics indicate that enrollees are representative of men diagnosed with clinically localized prostate cancer throughout the United States. Therefore, results of PIVOT will be generalizable. These results are necessary in order to determine the preferred therapy for clinically localized prostate cancer.
The Manager (a)

When a senior audit partner at a well-established Washington-based audit firm discovers that one of his employees has disseminated inaccurate information, the partner must figure out the reason--lack of communication, racial tension, or misguided management are all possibilities--and subsequently decide what course of action to take. See also the B case (UVA-E-0281).
Mothers and Sons: The Lloyd Schlup Story

This article tells the back story of the near-execution of Lloyd Schlup, condemned to die in Missouri for the 1984 murder of fellow Missouri State Penitentiary prisoner Arthur Dade, Jr. Mr. Schlup came within hours of execution before the Supreme Court granted certiorari on his case to decide whether a prisoner who is probably innocent can avail himself of the habeas corpus remedy. Mr. Schlup's and Mr. Dade's mothers played pivotal roles in the ultimate outcome of Schlup v. Delo, 513 U.S. 298 (1995). Dedicated to the memory of Nancy Slater.
Entomology and the Engineers

Data relating to wood defects caused by insects has been collected in the belief that such information would be of particular value to engineers, especially as the major loss develops in the manufactured or utilized wood rather than in the forest.
Dithienylbenzodipyrrolidone: New Acceptor for Donor–Acceptor Low Band Gap Polymers

An analogue of DPP, dithienylbenzodipyrrolidone (DTBDPD), was successfully synthesized. Several D–A copolymers, with different electron donating capability donor unit (fluorene, difluorene, dithienosilole, and dithienopyrrole) and DTBDPD acceptor, were prepared by means of Suzuki and Stille coupling reaction. The optical and electrochemical properties were demonstrated through UV–vis–NIR absorption and cyclic voltammetry (CV). All polymers showed near-infrared or even infrared absorption and deeper LUMO levels, as low as −3.80 eV.