cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Islam, Women and the Role of the State in Senegal

Although Senegalese women are beginning to move into the modern sector and keep up with their male peers they are still distinctly behind in terms of power status and access to resources. Religion does not currently distinguish among those who will and those who will not have opportunities; yet it certainly has an impact on womens behavior and mens attitudes as well. This paper examines to what extent the nature of Senegalese Islam and its interplay with pre-Islamic local cultures and the colonial state has determined the kind of impact Islam presently has on womens role. Four major points were identified in this discussion. First the development of the state of Senegal the interdependency of the government and the Muslim leaders restricted the authority of either over the society. Second Islamic beliefs and the cultural baggage which accompanied it had influenced the role of women generally reducing their public authority and responsibility. In addition pre-Islamic traditions were noted to play a more important role among those converted. This reinforces the first point of the discussion. Finally the spread of education and the increasing economic opportunities drawing women out of the traditional subsistence sector even in rural areas have neutralized the conservativeness of major Muslim leaders.
An analysis of the first dental visits in a Federally Qualified Health Center in a socio economically deprived area.

Dental caries is the single most common chronic disease affecting children in the USA. Approximately 20-25% children are affected. This not only has serious implications for a child's long term health and well being but also has serious financial implications. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry advocates early intervention with the first dental visit by 12 months of age. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the first dental visit for children living in a socio economically deprived area in Connecticut. This study was conducted at a Federally Qualified Health Center in Connecticut. Study Design: Data was collected prospectively on the children between January to December 2004. Results: We found that the mean age for the first visit was 4 years. The recommendation is that community health programs should emphasize the importance of preventive dental care by assuring the first dental visit be by age 1 year.
Effects of Age on Serial Recall of Natural and Synthetic Speech

The present study addressed the effects of aging on auditory serial-recall performance for natural and synthetic words. Word difficulty, measured in terms of frequency of occurrence and phonological similarity, and rate of presentation were also manipulated in an effort to determine which processes underlying serial-recall performance, if any, were affected by aging. Results indicated that age per se had little effect on short-term (working) memory as measured by the serial recall of monosyllabic words. Rate of presentation had little effect on recall for either subject group. Word difficulty, on the other hand, affected recall for both groups, with easy words being more readily recalled than hard words.
Nursing Students With Learning Disabilities: Guidelines For Fostering Success

Learning disabilities can be devastating for the nursing student, interfering with academic performance and with success on the NCLEX-RN. Within the past five to ten years, college educators are seeing an increasing number of students with learning disabilities diagnosed in the 1970s, who are now ready for higher education. This phenomenon is becoming apparent as well in schools of nursing in the United States. This article describes the problem, gives characteristics by which the student with a learning disability can be identified, and suggests methods for assisting the student to achieve success in school and on the national licensing examination following graduation.
The Surgeon in a Respiratory Intensive Care Unit

The functions and responsibilities of a surgeon in a respiratory intensive care unit are discussed. He should be a competent thoracic and general surgeon and a skilled bronchoscopist. His responsibilities will include the maintenance of a patent tracheobronchial airway, proper ventilation, and satisfactory cardiovascular function. The surgeon will also be concerned with methods of maintaining tracheo-bronchial humidity, aerosolization, and mechanical ventilation. Indications for bronchoscopy are discussed with particular reference to the use of copious saline bronchial lavage for mucus impactions in intractable asthma. The indications, techniques, and complications of tracheostomy are also outlined. Tracheostomy is being used with increasing frequency for lower respiratory tract disease with obstructing secretions and as a means of providing assisted or controlled respiration with mechanical ventilators. In special situations such as barbiturate poisoning, tracheostomy can be avoided and respiration can be maintained through a cuffed orotracheal tube. As discussed in the paper, the ultimate place of the surgeon in any one respiratory intensive care unit will vary considerably depending on a number of factors that may operate in that specific unit.
Effects of gate recess depth on very high performance 0.1 mm GaAs MESFET's

0.1 ?m gate length conventional GaAs MESFET's have been fabricated with a wide range of saturation currents. These devices show excellent DC and RF performance, with very little variation of device behavior with recess depth. The overall performance of these devices is competitive with the best MESFET's demonstrated to date, with average transconductances of 578 mS/mm and average ft's of 97 GHz. The invariance of device performance with gate recess depth demonstrates a strong advantage for GaAs MESFET's in terms of both process latitude and device design.
New immune modulatory drugs for systemic lupus erythematosus--what can we expect?

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a disease triggered by environmental factors in individuals with a genetically predetermined alteration of the threshold for induction or maintenance of immune tolerance. In this Viewpoint, Professor Davidson discusses the immune activation pathways involved in systemic lupus erythematosus, and highlights the importance of understanding these pathways and their role in disease activity.
Accuracy of ovarian and colon cancer risk assessments by U.S. physicians.

BACKGROUND Studies have shown a mismatch between published cancer screening and genetic counseling referral recommendations and physician-reported screening and referral practices. Inaccurate cancer risk assessment is one potential cause of this mismatch.
AUTOMATICITY AND PHONEMIC REPRESENTATIONS: PERCEPTUAL AND COGNITIVE BUILDING BLOCKS FOR READING

Since the popularization of the theory of automaticity as it pertains to reading (LaBerge & Samuels, 1974), 20 years of interdisciplinary theory building and research has led to increasingly specific descriptions of the automatic reading process. Developments in cognitive theories of skill automatization, and advances in psycholinguistics and neuropsychological research in language processes, have led to a more modular view of the specific linguistic functioning that affects the development of literacy. Current consensus and controversies about automatic processing in reading reflect researchers’ efforts to locate perceptual and cognitive functions that are most important to the efficiency of text decoding. This article describes the search that has led many researchers in the fields of cognitive psychology, psycholinguistics, and neuropsychology to the study of the smallest perceptual component of speech — the phoneme. The speed, accuracy, and strength of phonemic representations in decoding text is now ...
Neuroimaging to detect cortical projection of vestibular response to caloric stimulation in young and older adults using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a non-invasive and portable neuroimaging technique. The method uses non-ionizing laser light in the range of red to near-infrared to detect changes in cerebral blood oxygenation. In this study, we used fNIRS to investigate cortical hemodynamic changes in the temporo-parietal and frontal regions during caloric vestibular stimulation. Caloric stimulation has previously been investigated using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), which serves as a validation of the fNIRS imaging modality toward the measurement of vestibular related brain regions. To date, only a single study has used fNIRS during caloric irrigations, which observed blood volume changes in the temporal-parietal area in healthy younger subjects. In this current study, fNIRS was used to measure cortical vestibular activation in 10 right-handed younger subjects (5 male and 5 female, age 25+/-6 years) and 10 right-handed older subjects (6 male and 4 female, age 74+/-5 years). We investigated both warm (44 °C) and cool (30 °C) unilateral caloric vestibular stimulation. Consistent with previous reports, we found that warm (44 °C) caloric irrigation caused a bilateral activation. In addition, we found that cool (30 °C) caloric irrigation caused contralateral activation of the temporo-parietal area. This study is the first to investigate age effects of the caloric stimulation on brain activity. We found that the older subjects had stronger bilateral effects than the younger subjects. Our results confirm previous fMRI and PET studies that showed cortical activation during caloric vestibular irrigation is dependent on side of irrigation, and temperature of irrigation. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that fNIRS is a viable technique in measuring cortical effects during vestibular tasks.
Material–semiotic practices of water quality testing and standards: the constitution of water contamination in Walkerton, Ontario, Canada

During the summer of 2000, Walkerton, a normally quiet town in the heart of rural Ontario, became the unfortunate site of Canada's worst outbreak of drinking water contamination. This case, however tragic, provides an opportunity to critically examine the complex interplay between science, policy, and multiple forms of knowledge and practice that occurs in the contentious arena of water quality testing and safety standards in Ontario. What becomes obvious from this story is that conventional reductionist approaches and ideologies have been less able to contribute to our understanding of the growing problems associated with contemporary water quality practices because they conceal the process that underlie their development - a hybrid process that is as much about ethics and politics as it is science. Understanding water quality testing and safety standards' hybrid nature and their material–semiotic practices is imperative in acknowledging the risks and responsibilities associated with public health and environmental policy.
Impact of a Specific Echocardiographic Report Comment Regarding Endocarditis Prophylaxis on Compliance With American Heart Association Recommendations

Background— There is substantial underuse and overuse of antibiotic prophylaxis. Current American Heart Association (AHA) recommendations are heavily dependent on echocardiographic data that may not be familiar to referring physicians. We sought to determine the impact of a specific prophylaxis report comment on compliance with AHA recommendations. Methods and Results— Using a standardized electronic reporting system, physicians interpreting ≈50% of echocardiograms included a concluding comment classifying endocarditis risk and stating whether prophylaxis was indicated. The remaining reports were identical in format/content but did not include such comments. Of 1461 eligible outpatients during a 6-month period, 969 (66.3%) responded to a mail survey regarding prophylaxis instructions. Overall, 50% reported taking prophylaxes. Compliance with AHA recommendations was greater among those with a comment (73.2% versus 65.4% for those receiving versus those not receiving comments, respectively; P=0.011), with p...
The peroxynitrite product 3-nitro-l-tyrosine attenuates the hemodynamic responses to angiotensin II in vivo

Abstract Peroxynitrite is a potent oxidant formed endogenously by the near diffusion-limited reaction of nitric oxide with superoxide anion. Peroxynitrite specifically adds a nitro group to the ortho position of the phenolic ring of free and protein-associated tyrosines to form the stable product 3-nitro- l -tyrosine. Systemic administration of 3-nitro- l -tyrosine markedly inhibits the subsequent hemodynamic responses to α 1 - and β-adrenoceptor agonists in anesthetized rats. Angiotensin II is an important modulator of vascular tone. The vasoconstrictor effects of this hormone are known to involve the release of catecholamines from sympathetic tissues. In the present study, we examined whether 3-nitro- l -tyrosine (2.5 μmol/kg i.v.) would attenuate the hemodynamic responses produced by angiotensin II (0.1–1.0 μg/kg i.v.). Angiotensin II produced increases in mean arterial pressure, and renal and mesenteric vascular resistances, but no changes in hindquarter vascular resistance. The pressor and renal and mesenteric vasoconstrictor responses produced by angiotensin II were significantly attenuated 30–60 min following the administration of 3-nitro- l -tyrosine. Further attenuation of these responses was evident 120–180 min following the administration of 3-nitro- l -tyrosine. The α 1 -adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin also diminished the pressor and renal and mesenteric vasoconstrictor responses produced by angiotensin II. These results demonstrate that 3-nitro- l -tyrosine inhibits the hemodynamic responses to angiotensin II, possibly through the inhibition of α 1 -adrenoceptor-mediated events. The effect of 3-nitro- l -tyrosine on the hemodynamic action of angiotensin II raises the possibility that 3-nitro- l -tyrosine may be involved in the pathogenesis of the hemodynamic disturbances associated with inflammatory conditions, such as atherosclerosis, ischemia-reperfusion, and sepsis, where formation of peroxynitrite is favored.
The solubilities of five cyclic dipeptides in water and in aqueous urea at 298.15 K: a quantitative model for the denaturation of proteins in aqueous urea solutions

The solubilities of cyclo(L-alanylglycine), cyclo(L-alanyl-L-alanine), cyclo(glycyl-L-leucine), cyclo(L-valyl-L-valine) and cyclo(glycyl-L-phenylalanine) were determined in water and in aqueous urea solutions up to concentrations of 9 molar urea at 298.15 K. The solubilities of all cyclic dipeptides increase with increasing urea concentration. A simple equilibrium model, taking into account the activity of urea and that of water, fits the solubility data yielding apparent equilibrium constants describing the interactions occurring between urea and the peptide groups plus the alkyl groups that are next to these peptide groups. The apparent equilibrium constants were converted to Gibbs energy parameters for each amino acid residue which were then used to make a quantitative estimate of the contribution of urea to the denaturation of proteins.
Photochemical reduction of hexavalent chromium in glycerol-containing solutions

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] in the form of potassium dichromate was photochemically reduced to trivalent chromium [Cr(III)] in aqueous solutions containing glycerol. This reaction occurred rapidly during irradiation with either unfiltered sunlight or a UVA-emitting light source. Photochemical reduction of Cr(VI) was pH-dependent and did not occur in dilute solutions of sodium hydroxide. In acidified solutions, the reduction occurred at elevated rates and at lower concentrations of glycerol. This reaction was found to be dependent on the unsubstituted alcohol groups of glycerol since alpha-phosphoglycerol and beta-phosphoglycerol did not support the photochemical reduction of Cr(VI). These findings suggest that glycerol or related polyols can be used for the remediation of hexavalent (toxic) chromium at contaminated environmental sites.
The Practice of Public Relations. (2nd Edition) Seitel, Fraser P. Columbus, OH: Charles E. Merrill Publishing Co., 1984, 545 pp

(1984). The Practice of Public Relations. (2nd Edition) Seitel, Fraser P. Columbus, OH: Charles E. Merrill Publishing Co., 1984, 545 pp. Journal of Advertising: Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 63-63.
Is Patient-Centered Care the Same As Person-Focused Care?

Both patient-centered and person-focused care are important, but they are different. In contrast to patient-centered care (at least as described in the current literature with assessments that are visit-based), person-focused care is based on accumulated knowledge of people, which provides the basis for better recognition of health problems and needs over time and facilitates appropriate care for these needs in the context of other needs. That is, it specifically focuses on the whole person. Proposed enhancements and innovations to primary care do not appear to address person-focused care. Tools to assess person-focused care are available and deserve more widespread use in primary care.
Effects of copper, cadmium, and zinc on the production and exudation of thiols by Emiliania huxleyi

Cultures of the ubiquitous coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi grown at field-relevant fixed free ion concentrations of Cu, Cd, and Zn exude a broad array of thiols, some of which increase with increasing metal ion concentration. The primary thiols released are contingent on the particular metal or combination of metals added to the culture media. Exposure to Cu results in the release of arginine-cysteine, glutamine-cysteine, and cysteine; Cd causes these thiols and glutathione to be released; and high Zn results in the synthesis and exudation of predominantly γ-glutamate- cysteine (γ-Glu-Cys). Because the free ion concentrations of Cu and Cd used in these experiments are similar to those observed in the field, active exudation could be an important source of thiols to surface seawater and thus might affect trace metal speciation in the open ocean. Intracellular thiol concentrations were also clearly affected by metal concentrations, with γ-Glu-Cys being particularly dynamic. Additionally, the shift from exponential to stationary growth in batch cultures caused approximately two- to fourfold declines in the concentrations of nearly all intracellular thiols.
The Effect of Nutritional and Hormonal Supplementation on Protein Synthesis Immediately after Liver Transplantation

We have previously shown that immediately after liver transplantation (LT) the porcine recipient exhibits elevated plasma glucagon, increased fractional synthetic rate (FSR) of fibrinogen, and decreased FSR of fixed or structural liver proteins. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of nutritional and hormonal supplementation on these observations 24 h after LT. Two groups of nine pigs were studied 1 day after LT using radioisotopic and arteriovenous difference techniques. A control group underwent LT with saline infusion and a supplemented group underwent LT with infusion of glucose, amino acids (6 and 1.06 mg/kg · min, respectively), and intraportal insulin (0.6 mU/kg · min) and glucagon (1.3 ng/kg · min). Primed constant infusions of [3H]leucine were used to determine leucine flux, an estimate of whole body protein breakdown, and fractional synthetic rates (FSR). The following changes were noted with supplementation: elevated plasma insulin (6 ± 1 versus 29 ± 4 μU/ml, control versus supplemented, respectively,P< 0.05), decreased glucagon to normal levels (323 ± 65 versus 102 ± 12 pg/ml,P< 0.05), decreased fibrinogen FSR (108 ± 15 versus 70 ± 6%/day,P< 0.025), and increased fixed liver protein FSR (8 ± 1 versus 13 ± 2%/day,P< 0.05, respectively). Albumin FSR was unaltered by supplementation (8 ± 2 versus 6 ± 1%/day, respectively). Nutritional and hormonal supplementation immediately after LT restored the measured protein synthesis in the allograft to near normal levels 1 day after transplantation.
Silver(I) complexes of fluorinated scorpionates: Ligand effects in silver catalyzed carbene insertion into C–H bonds in alkanes

Abstract Activation of C–H bonds of hydrocarbons via intermolecular carbene insertion has been investigated using tris(pyrazolyl)boratosilver(I) catalysts [MeB(3-(CF3)Pz)3]Ag(C2H4), [MeB(3-(C2F5)Pz)3]Ag(C2H4) and [HB(3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Ag(C2H4). Cyclopentane, 2-methylbutane, and 2,3-dimethylbutane were used as substrates. Carbenes derived from ethyl and tert-butyl diazoacetates have effectively been inserted into tertiary, secondary, as well as primary C–H bonds of hydrocarbons at room temperature using these catalysts. Tertiary C–H bonds in these substrates get preferentially activated over secondary C–H followed by primary C–H bonds. However, it is possible to increase the amount of primary C–H bond activated product by utilizing catalysts with increasingly acidic silver sites and sterically bulky tris(pyrazolyl)borate ligands. The carbene insertion into primary C–H bonds increases in the order: [MeB(3-(CF3)Pz)3]Ag(C2H4)
Host Glycan Recognition by a Pore Forming Toxin

An exposed F-type lectin domain fused to the N-terminus of a cholesterol-dependent cytolysin scaffold allows Streptococcus mitis lectinolysin to cluster at fucose-rich sites on target cell membranes, thereby leading to increased pore-forming toxin activity. In this issue of Structure, Feil and coworkers define the structural basis for lectinolysin glycan-binding specificity.
A 67-year-old man with a 1 1/2 year history of progressive left supraclavicular mass.

Abstract This is a 67-year-old man with a slow-growing hypovascular mass involving the left brachial plexus. Metastases are statistically the most common brachial plexus tumor, but we excluded it because of the absence of a primary tumor. The final differential diagnosis is between a schwannoma and fibrous tissue tumor. Because of the findings observed on aspiration biopsy, the latter pathologic process is favored.
'a poor Chipochia': A new look at an Italian word in Troilus and Cressida 4.2

In Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida, an obvious, but curious, Italian word – chipochia – appears in an exchange between Cressida and Pandarus (4.2.31). All modern editions print this word as capocchia, following the emendation of Lewis Theobald in 1733. Theobald posited that this word meant "simpleton" or "blockhead," and editors since then have accepted this meaning, while many have argued for a sexual connotation here, a pun on Troilus' penis. This study offers evidence to support the original spelling of chipochia in both the Quarto and Folio versions and proposes a new definition for chipochia, sensible to dramatic context and founded on established philological evidence.
Pulse Deficit Correction Trigger for Planar CdTe Based Gamma-ray Spectrometer

Planar CdTe produces gamma-ray spectra that typically exhibit tailing on the low energy side of photopeaks above 100 keV due to the material's asymmetric transfer properties of the electrons and holes. XRF Corporation has recently developed and submitted a patent for a novel trigger methodology that corrects for the charge deficit of photon interactions across the full depth of the crystal. This trigger also improves the resolution so that we are able to produce devices that yield a full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 1% at 662 keV using the entire bulk of the crystal. This new trigger methodology has been incorporated into XRF Corporation's ICS-4000 radionuclide identifier improving both the sensitivity and the resolution of the device.
Teaching with difference: A response to Angela Calabrese Barton: Teaching science with homeless children: Pedagogy, representation, and identity

This article poses a vital question: Of whom are we thinking when we dream of an education for “all?” What does education for “all” really entail? Would an education for “all” look fundamentally different from the education we are now trying to enact? Many schemes for educating “all” are little more than translations of the current curriculum and modal pedagogy. “All” children are somehow benignly the same. “All” is not a word that carries heterogeneity: It suggests instead likeness and similarity. It implies children who are “different” slowly becoming more like all of us (whoever we are). Barton’s article (Barton, 1998) about her work with homeless children suggests that educating all students entails going beyond seeking ways to enable marginalized students to engage in present educational forms. Rather, an education for homeless and minority children involves rethinking foundational assumptions about the nature of the disciplines, the purposes of education, and our roles as teachers. It does not mean remaking those children into our own images. For Barton, it meant remaking science in the children’s image. Other writers have suggested such rethinking about education in general and in fields other than science (for example, Delpit, 1988; 1992; Gates, 1992; hooks, 1994; McIntosh, 1983; West, 1993; Weller, 1988). Barton, though, provides a vivid image of what it might mean to do this remaking in science. Science can be shaped and responsive to our experiences of the phenomena of our surrounding world—whether in puzzling about pollution and its effects on our surroundings or in inventive cooking. Barton and the girls with whom she is exploring this creative remaking of science are not coincidentally exploring the territory of habitat and food, essentials in the reality of homeless children. Their investigations are neither sentimental nor trivial. Situated in the surrounding realities of their lives, the inquiries are authentically interdisciplinary: The exploration of how pollution affects the lived experience of the neighborhood is an inquiry permeated with sociology and psychology; the experimentation with food, a play of chemistry threaded with the aesthetics of taste and appearance. These are real projects. They JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING VOL. 35, NO. 4, PP. 395–397 (1998)
The ultrastructure of endocrine cells in the corpus of the stomach of human fetuses.

The ultrastructural development of endocrine cells from the corpus of fetal human stomachs is described. Samples were taken from fetuses ranging in fertilization age from 6–8 to 22 weeks. The identifying features used for the classification of the various types of endocrine cells were their basal location in the epithelium, the presence and morphology of their characteristic granules and the sizes of the mitochondria. Five types of endocrine cells with specific granules were found: D, EC, ECL, AL and D1. The type and number of endocrine cells increased as development proceeded. The endocrine cells were confined to the epithelium, they did not reach the lumen and they appeared to develop in situ. The D, EC and ECL cells were the most numerous. The fetal endocrine cells resembled morphologically those found in the stomachs of various adult animals. The EC, ECL and D1 cells contained small slender mitochondria with few cristae. Intramitochondrial granules were absent in all the cell types. Agranular electron-lucent cells with small mitochondria were considered to be immature endocrine cells. The advanced stage of differentiation observed in these cells suggests that they may be capable of producing and storing biogenic amines and polypeptide hormones. Their possible involvement in the synthesis of serotonin, enteroglucagon and intrinsic factor is discussed.
790-2 Baseline Electrocardiogram Predicts 30-day Mortality Among 32,812 Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction Treated with Thrombolysis

To determine the initial electrocardiographic variables predictive of survival among patients with acute myocardial infarction, we analyzed the baseline 12-lead ECGs in 32,812 patients enrolled into the GUSTO trial. All patients had ≥ 0.1 mV of ST segment elevation in at least one lead and received thrombolytic therapy. Those with LBBB or ventricular rhythm were excluded from analysis. Clinical follow-up was g 99.5% complete. 2218 (6.8%) patients died within 30 days of the initial ECG. Death within 30 days was more common in patients with RBBB (17%), LAFB (14%), and LPFB (17%), than in those with a normal conduction pattern (6%). Patients with ECG evidence of previous MI in a location distinct from the acute MI had a higher risk of death (9.8% vs. 5.9%) than those without prior infarction (p l 0.0001). The variable having the greatest univariate predictive power for 30-day survival was the sum of the absolute ST-segment deviation in each lead (x2 = 341), as shown in the following mortality curve. Download : Download high-res image (80KB) Download : Download full-size image Other ST segment variables that predicted 30-day survival were the sum of ST-segment elevation in each lead (x2 = 287). the maximum ST elevation in anyone lead (X2 = 257), and the number of leads with ST elevation (x2 = 250). When multivariate modeling was performed the sum of the absolute ST deviations, number of leads with ST elevation, prior ECG MI, RBBB, and LAFB each added independent prognostic information. We conclude that an ECG at the time of presentation contains substantial prognostic information which can be used to help stratify risk among thrombelytic-treated patients with acute myocardial infarction.
Is God Beyond Reason

Classical thinkers such as St Anselm of Canterbury and St Thomas Aquinas insist that God is beyond reason because he is incomprehensible. More recent authors, including Soren Kierkegaard, Karl Barth and Colin Gunton have argued that God is beyond reason since natural theology is an inherently suspect notion. In this article, I first note ways in which all the authors just mentioned may be thought of as agreeing with each other. I then proceed to argue against the critique of natural theology coming from Kierkegaard, Barth and Gunton. My conclusion is that, in one sense, it may be premature to conclude that God is beyond reason.
Novel approach to feature extraction for MRI segmentation

Magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the brain are segmented into tumor and non-tumor to provide an objective means for measuring the response of a tumor to therapy. This paper focuses on automatic feature extraction to improve brain tumor segmentation using genetic algorithms (GAs). Using the discovered features, a significant increase in accuracy of tumor segmentation is seen. Moreover, this improvement is consistent over a tumor volume outside the training data.
Ablation vs Medical Therapy in the Setting of Symptomatic Atrial Fibrillation and Left Ventricular Dysfunction

Congest Heart Fail. 2010;16:10–14. ©2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Small, single-center studies suggest that catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) can improve ventricular function and reduce symptoms in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. However, ablation has not been compared with a pharmacologic strategy for AF. The authors evaluated patients with AF and symptomatic LV dysfunction (ejection fraction ≤45%) referred for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). They compared these patients with a matched cohort treated medically for AF and LV dysfunction via a retrospective case-control method. Fifteen patients (14 men, 56±11 years, 10 [67%] paroxysmal AF) with AF for 4±3 years underwent PVI. Baseline ejection fraction was 37%±6% and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class was 2.0±1.0. Fifteen controls (13 men, 63±14 years, 11 [73%] paroxysmal AF) with AF for 5±4 years were treated medically for AF. Baseline ejection fraction was 34%±11% and NYHA class was 2.0±0.7. The groups were similar in all respects. During a follow-up of 16±13 months after complete PVI, ejection fraction improved (P=.001) to 50%±13% and normalized in 8 patients (53%). NYHA class improved to 1.3±0.5 (P=.01). In the medically treated group, after follow-up of 16±12 months, no improvement in ejection fraction (36%±12%) or NYHA class (1.8±0.7) was seen. Compared with pharmacologic therapy, PVI significantly improved LV function and NYHA class in patients with AF and symptomatic LV dysfunction. These provocative findings provide potent rationale for a randomized clinical trial comparing ablation with pharmacologic therapy.
Estimating the distribution of extreme events

[1] Modeling the distribution of extreme events such as major floods, severe rainfall, and high wind speeds can be challenging. Researchers in many fields commonly use the generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution to characterize how these events are distributed over time. However, for many types of extreme events, there are limited data available, making it difficult to fit the GEV distribution. To help deal with this problem, Ailliot et al. generalized two common methods (maximum likelihood and method of moments) for estimating the parameters and high quantiles of the GEV distribution. Using simple parameter constraints, the scientists developed efficient and numerically robust estimation procedures that are suitable for automatic batch processing of many small-to medium-sized data sets. They illustrate their methods by applying them to annual maximum rainfall data in New Zealand. (Water Resources Research, doi:10.1029/2010WR009417, 2011)
Modulation of rat epididymal?-glutamyl transpeptidase by nonylphenols

1. gamma-Glutamyl-transpeptidase (gamma-GTP), present at low levels in the testis, seminal vesicle, prostate gland and epididymis in rat at 4 days of age, showed rapid developmental increases at the time of weaning. 2. Administration of nonylphenols (NP) to the neonatal male rat pup (from days 1 to 15) impaired the subsequent development of gamma-GTP in the epididymis but not in the testis, seminal vesicles or prostate gland. 3. Single injection of NP to weaned pups at approximately 22 days of age decreased gamma-GTP in the epididymis but not in other male accessory sex organs. This effect was transient, dose-dependent and blocked by the oestrogen receptor-specific antagonist ICI 182,780. 4. Single injection of oestradiol to weaned rat at approximately 22 days of age also decreased gamma-GTP in the epididymis but not in the testis, prostate gland or seminal vesicles. 5. In in vitro assays, NP did not inhibit epididymal gamma-GTP activity even at 100 microM final concentration. Under similar conditions, acivicin, a specific inhibitor for gamma-GTP, showed a dose-dependent inhibition of gamma-GTP activity. 6. It is suggested that NP impair gamma-GTP expression in the epididymis of developing male rat and act in part via the oestrogen receptor.
Mesalamine-induced myopericarditis in a paediatric patient with Crohn's disease.

Mesalamine-containing products are considered first-line treatment for inflammatory bowel disease. Myocarditis is recognised as a very rare possible side effect of these medications, but has not often been described in the paediatric population. We present a case of an adolescent with Crohn’s disease who presented with myopericarditis after recent initiation of Pentasa. Once identified as the causative agent, the drug was discontinued, with subsequent normalisation of troponin and improvement of function. This case identifies the importance of prompt evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of paediatric patients receiving mesalamine-containing medications that present with significant cardiovascular symptoms.
Evaluation of Reticulated Platelets in Dogs

Reticulated platelets are immature platelets that have increased ribonucleic acid content. Reticulated platelets were evaluated in the blood of 20 healthy non-thrombocytopenic dogs and 45 thrombocytopenic dogs to determine if the assay could be used as a non-invasive measure of thrombopoiesis. Reticulated platelets were evaluated by detecting fluorescence of thiazole orange-stained platelets using a flow cytometer. Of 45 thrombocytopenic dogs 36 had an increased percentage of reticulated platelets when compared to values for the healthy non-thrombocytopenic dogs. However, none of these dogs had increased total reticulated platelet numbers. Most dogs with an increased percentage of reticulated platelets had disease conditions in which the thrombocytopenia was attributed to destruction or consumption of platelets, whereas, those that did not have an increased percentage of reticulated platelets had conditions associated with decreased thrombopoiesis. However, too few dogs with suspected decreased thrombopoiesis were included in the study to make a conclusion about the capacity of the test to detect decreased platelet production. Results of this study indicate that the percentage of reticulated platelets may be useful as a non-invasive predictor of thrombopoiesis in dogs.
Muon capture in oxygen

Abstract By measuring the muon induced N16 β-radioactivity and the low-energy γ-transitions in this nucleus, estimates have been obtained of the absolute capture rates for negative muons stopping in oxygen and producing N16 in three of the lowest lying states. The results are: • μ−+O16(0+) → N16 (2−, ground state) + νμ 6.3 ± 0.7 msec− • → N 16∗ (0 − , 120 keV )ν μ 1.1 ± 0.2 sec − • → N 16∗ (1 − , 392 keV )+ν gm 1.73±0.10 msec − . Within the limited accuracy of the measurements and the uncertainties of their theoretical interpretation, these values are consistent with the assumption of a universal Fermi interaction, the hypothesis of conserved vector current and the predicted induced pseudoscalar coupling.
Chondrosarcoma of the larynx: challenges in diagnosis and management.

Chondrosarcoma is a rare neoplasm of the larynx with approximately 200 cases reported in the literature. The infrequent occurrence of this neoplasm, and its indolent pattern of growth, can result in a delayed or missed diagnosis, thereby jeopardizing the preservation of laryngeal function. Four cases of chondrosarcoma of the larynx are presented demonstrating the challenges in the diagnosis and management of this neoplasm. Conservation surgery remains the mainstay of therapy aiming towards preservation of the framework and function of the larynx. Two innovative reconstructive techniques are presented which made conservation laryngeal surgery possible in two of the four patients. Indeed, surgical resection with sound oncologic principles must be applied and total laryngectomy may be necessary. On rare occasion radiotherapy may be used, although its value remains controversial. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Heisenberg-model cluster expansion for half-filled Hubbard and PPP models

Pariser-Parr-Pople, Hubbard, and Heisenberg models for systems with one electron per site, such as the π-networks of neutral conjugated hydrocarbons, are considered. It is argued that for usual systems the Hubbard model describes reasonably only those states that are also capable of being so described by a Heisenberg model. Such Heisenberg models are given by a cluster expansion, surpassing in accuracy the results of correspondingly low-order degenerate perturbation expansions.
Lithium and boron isotopes in illite-smectite : The importance of crystal size

Abstract Clay minerals record chemical data about the past, acting like natural computer memory chips. To retrieve the data we must understand how they are stored. To achieve this we have examined the isotopic information revealed by two trace elements, lithium and boron, that are incorporated into the common clay minerals illite-smectite (I-S) during diagenesis. We used hydrothermal experiments at 300°C, 100 MPa, to speed up the reaction of smectite to illite that normally occurs during slow (10–100 Ma) sediment burial. During illitization, Li substitutes into the octahedral sites and B enters the tetrahedral sites of the silicate framework. Both Li and B are also adsorbed in the interlayer of smectite, but Li is preferred over B in the exchange sites. To determine the equilibrium isotope fractionation of the two trace elements it is important to remove these adsorbed interlayer species. By measuring the isotopic composition of Li and B in the silicate framework during reaction, we can address the relative timing of element exchange in the different crystallographic sites. Furthermore, because illitization of smectite is a crystal growth process (not an isomorphous replacement) we have examined the effect of crystal size on the isotope fractionation. The results show that Li and B approach an isotopic steady state when R1 ordering occurs, long before oxygen isotopes equilibrate with the fluid. The isotopic fractionation (αmineral-water) for Li (0.989) is similar to that for B (0.984) at 300°C. However, when separated into 2.0 μm fractions, there are significant differences in measured isotope ratios by as much as 9‰. Crystal growth mechanisms and surface energy effects of nanoscale crystals may explain the observed isotopic differences. The fact that different crystals equilibrate at different rates (based on size) may be applied to natural samples to reveal the changing paleofluid history, provided we understand the conditions of equilibrium. This has very important implications for the interpretation of diagenetic environments, fluid flow, and surficial geochemical cycling.
Programmable Frequency-Divider for Millimeter-Wave PLL Frequency Synthesizers

In this paper, a novel 4-modulus programmable frequency divider, suitable for millimeter wave PLL frequency synthesizer applications, is presented. The proposed frequency divider is designed using dynamic logic D flip-flop, and the divider is implemented in a standard 90 nm CMOS technology to achieve high frequencies of operation with very low power consumption. Measurements show a maximum input frequency of 3.5 GHz, and a power consumption of 4.5 mW from a 1.0 V supply. To the best knowledge of the authors, this divider shows one of the best figure of merit in terms of maximum speed of operation, low power consumption, and division ratio ranges for multi-GHz frequency dividers.
Experimental verification of a Kalman filter approach for estimating the size of fastener hole fatigue cracks

Ultrasonic methods have been implemented for in situ sizing of fatigue cracks near fastener holes. These techniques, however, only provide an estimate at the time of the measurement and cannot predict the remaining life of the structure. In contrast, statistical crack propagation approaches model the expected fatigue life based on worst-case fatigue process assumptions. The authors have recently developed a Kalman filter approach for combining ultrasonic observations with crack growth laws. An ultrasonic angle-beam technique, combined with an energy-based wave propagation model, serves as the measurement model. Paris’s crack growth equation acts as the system model for crack propagation. For simulated data, this approach provided more accurate crack size estimates than either the ultrasonic measurements or crack growth approach alone. Presented here are experimental results to assess the ability of the Kalman filter to provide reasonable crack size estimates.
An analysis of drug and solute transport through membranes based on potential barriers

Modelling of drug or solute transport in membranes including those used in transdermal systems is often based on Fickian diffusion analysis. Such transport requires knowledge of the size exclusion characteristics and the membrane reflection coefficient as functions of the physiological conditions of the system. We offer a modified analysis with which one can calculate drug reflection coefficients in polymer membranes used in transdermal delivery. In our analysis, the solute molecule is visualized as traveling across successive potential barriers created by steric effects, electrostatic interactions or other forces from charged or uncharged molecules. The membrane is assumed to present only one potential barrier since the random network need not possess any anisotropy. A two-dimensional network with vanishing thickness allows the approximation of one-directional transport. The result is the formulation of a potential barrier model that can be used to analyze various solute transport situations. Various experimental results from our laboratory and other investigators are analyzed using this theory. For the time being the theoretical model applies to relatively low molecular weight solutes.
Variability in Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV Subtest Performance Across Age

Normal Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)-IV performance relative to average normative scores alone can be an oversimplification as this fails to recognize disparate subtest heterogeneity that occurs with increasing age. The purpose of the present study is to characterize the patterns of raw score change and associated variability on WAIS-IV subtests across age groupings. Raw WAIS-IV subtest means and standard deviations for each age group were tabulated from the WAIS-IV normative manual along with the coefficient of variation (CV), a measure of score dispersion calculated by dividing the standard deviation by the mean and multiplying by 100. The CV further informs the magnitude of variability represented by each standard deviation. Raw mean scores predictably decreased across age groups. Increased variability was noted in Perceptual Reasoning and Processing Speed Index subtests, as Block Design, Matrix Reasoning, Picture Completion, Symbol Search, and Coding had CV percentage increases ranging from 56% to 98%. In contrast, Working Memory and Verbal Comprehension subtests were more homogeneous with Digit Span, Comprehension, Information, and Similarities percentage of the mean increases ranging from 32% to 43%. Little change in the CV was noted on Cancellation, Arithmetic, Letter/Number Sequencing, Figure Weights, Visual Puzzles, and Vocabulary subtests (<14%). A thorough understanding of age-related subtest variability will help to identify test limitations as well as further our understanding of cognitive domains which remain relatively steady versus those which steadily decline.
Climate change, flooding in arid environments, and erosion rates

Although regional climates throughout much of the world appear to have become more arid in late Cenozoic time, sedimentation rates, and therefore presumably erosion rates, have increased. For sustained erosion of elevated terrain, at least where glaciers are not the major erosive agent, rivers must incise. Therefore bed-load transport by rivers should be a rate-limiting process in erosion. Theories of bed-load transport call for a threshold in either stream power per unit area or shear stress before the bed load can be moved, and most transport should be accomplished during high discharge. The frequency- magnitude distribution of floods shows that the ratio of magnitudes of, for example, 100 yr floods and annual floods is greater in arid than in humid environments. Thus, a shift toward more arid conditions may have increased relative magnitudes of rare floods or, conversely, increased the frequency of large floods. Such a shift, despite a decrease in precipitation and discharge, could have doubled incision rates, particularly in regions already quite arid.
Phase transition induced formation of hollow structures in colloidal lanthanide-doped NaYF4 nanocrystals

Formation of colloidal hollow structures in NaYF4 nanocrystals (NCs) with and without lanthanide ion doping has been observed and inves- tigated via the co-thermolysis of a mixture of trifluoroacetate precursors in trioctylphosphine oxide. The Kirkendall effect in this one-step reaction is driven by the monomer diffusion and crystal phase transition. It is found that three kinetic stages which include rapid precipitation of cubic phase NCs, cubic to hexagonal phase transition concurrent with an inward transport of NaF species, and vacancy diffu- sion are attributed to the hollow structure formation. X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (XEDS) point analysis is applied to examine the ions distribu- tion and crystalline components in the lanthanides (Yb and Er)-doped NaYF4 up-conversion nanophos- phors (UCNPs). The hollow structures increase the surface-to-volume of a single NC and thus have a significant effect on the photoluminescence of the lanthanide-doped NPs and provide synthetic applica- tions for achieving novel NaYF4-based NCs.