cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Training in the United States

Gynecologic oncology is a growing field composed of physicians who have completed subspecialty training in the comprehensive care of women with gynecologic malignancies including cancers of the uterine cervix, uterine corpus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, vagina, vulva, and other rare gynecologic tumors. They are proficient in performing surgery not just on pelvic organs, but in gastrointestinal, urologic, plastic and reconstructive, and other abdominal and pelvic surgical techniques through a variety of approaches in order to treat newly diagnosed and recurrent gynecologic malignancies. They are also knowledgeable in chemotherapeutic and targeted therapies, radiation therapy, critical care, and palliative care. Gynecologic oncologists understand and advance the field through research in risk factors, prevention, and treatment of these cancers that afflict over 100,000 US women annually. After completing a 4-year obstetrics and gynecology residency, an additional 3- or 4-year fellowship program is necessary to become a gynecologic oncologist. These fellowship programs are regulated and accredited by a central, national agency, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Strict requirements are in place ensuring that graduating fellows are competent in patient care, surgery, medical knowledge, and research but are also professional and ethical physicians who efficiently function within and contribute to the greater medical community. In this chapter, we describe the history, structure, and admissions process of gynecologic oncology fellowship in the United States and explore the current education and demographics of gynecologic oncology fellows and the role of gynecologic oncologists in the education of future specialists and treatment of US women afflicted with gynecologic cancers.
On Distribution Patterns of Power Flow Solutions.

A fundamental challenge in computer analysis of power flow is the rigorous understanding of the impact of different loading levels on the solutions of the power flow equation. This letter presents a comprehensive study of possible numerical solutions that may arise as the loading level varies. In particular, a type of "false" load flow solutions is reported for the first time as a legitimate numerical solutions but with no engineering justification. The existence and the mechanism of why this category of solutions exist are rigorously analyzed. The probability mass function of voltage solution is shown to be less dependent on loading levels. Furthermore, numbers of all actual solutions and those solutions within engineering limits are summarized. This letter presents a first attempt to compute such huge numbers of solutions to the tested systems, and analyze their distribution patterns. All solution sets investigated in this letter are posted online associated with this letter to support any further research purposes.
The association of preoperative haemoglobin A1c with 30-day postoperative surgical site infection following non-cardiac surgery.

Diabetes has been shown to be associated with postoperative infections; however, the association of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) with postoperative surgical site infections (SSI) is unclear. All HbA1c d...
Cryoglobulinemic Vasculitis Masquerading as Bilateral Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Cryoglobulinemic vasculitis (CV) is a systemic inflammatory syndrome involving small- to medium-sized vessels. Almost half of hepatitis C-infected patients have detectable cryoglobulins levels, but only very few develop clinical manifestations. In this case report, we bring forth a diagnostic challenge of CV. A 52-year-old man with untreated hepatitis C (high viral load), diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease 4 (CKD) with solitary left kidney presented with one month of bilateral hand pain that started in his right hand, progressed to involve the left with numbness more on the palmer aspects and lateral three fingers. Physical exam was significant for bilateral positive Phalen and Tinel's sign. CV occurs due to precipitation of immune complexes within the vessels. Palpable purpura, arthralgia, and weakness have been described as the core symptoms of CV. However, progressive acute to subacute neuropathy, especially bilateral, should raise concerns for vasculitic neuropathy.
Complete Spatial Mapping of Steady-State Erythropoiesis

Lack of markers to image the different progenitors has limited analyses of interactions between HSPC and their offspring. To overcome this we analyzed the expression of 250+ cell surface molecules for which antibodies are commonly available in all hematopoietic progenitors. We found 76 differentially expressed markers in at least one HSPC showing medium to bright fluorescence suggesting that many commonly used cell surface markers can be used to prospectively image HSPC in the bone marrow. We focused in erythropoiesis as it has not been possible to image step-wise red blood cell maturation in vivo. We found that all erythroid progenitors can be defined as Ly6C-CD27-ESAM-CD117+ cells and then Pre-MegE (earliest erythroid progenitor Cell Stem Cell. 2007 1(4):428-42) are CD150+CD71-. These give rise to CD71+CD150+ Pre-CFU-E that differentiate into CD71+CD150- CFU-E that then generate early erythroblasts. All BM BFU-E activity was restricted to Pre-MegE and CFU-E (70 and 30% of all BFU-E) whereas all CFU-E colonies were spread between Pre-MegE (44%), pre-CFU-E (10%) and CFU-E (46%). We also confirmed previously published data showing that CD71 and Ter119 can be used to image step-wise terminal erythropoiesis; CD71+Ter119dim early erythroblasts, CD71+Ter119bright late erythroblasts, CD71dimTer119bright reticulocytes and CD71-Ter119bright erythrocytes. Importantly, all populations were detected at identical frequencies using FACS or confocal imaging indicating that our imaging strategy detects all erythroid cells in the BM (Pre-CFU-E: 0.022 vs 0.027 %; CFUE: 0.32 vs 0.30%; Early-Ery: 0.62 vs 0.66%; Late-Ery: 32.05 vs 32.12%; Reticulocyte: 5.98 vs. 3.36%; Erythrocytes: 12.49 vs. 13.47%). We mapped the 3D location of every erythroid lineage cell in the murine sternal BM and interrogate the spatial relationships between the different maturation steps and with candidate niches. We compared the interactions found in vivo with those found in random simulations. Specifically, we used CD45 and Ter119 to obtain the spatial coordinates of every hematopoietic cell in a mouse sternum. Then we randomly placed each type of erythroid lineage cell at identical frequencies as those found in vivo to generate random simulation. We found that Pre-MegE and Pre-CFU-E are closer to each other than predicted from random (average Pre-CFU-E to Pre-MegE distance= 92.3 µm vs. 156.7 µm random, p=0.028) but never adjacent indicating that Pre-CFU-E migrate away from Pre-MegE (0% of Pre-CFU-E adjacent to PreMegE). We also found that CFU-E were not adjacent to pre CFU-E, instead 7-8 CFU-E align to form “CFU-E strings” along the central BM (74% of CFU-E found in strings vs. 17.5% in random p In summary we have found 76 differentially expressed markers that can be combined to detect most HSPC; validated a 5-color stain to image all steps of red blood cell maturation; demonstrated that erythropoiesis takes place in highly organized 4-cluster structures emerging from strings of sinusoidal CFU-E, and demonstrated that sinusoids are the exclusive site of erythropoiesis. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
From boots to books: consumer attitudes toward veterans support by higher education institutions

Since the events of 9/11, the United States has experienced a resurgence of patriotism. Society actively applauds the service and sacrifice made by veterans and active military personnel. The Post-...
High-dose vitamin D supplementation for cancer-treatment-induced bone loss in 164 breast and prostate cancer patients: A pooled analysis of two randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

12105Background: Aromatase Inhibitor (AI) therapy and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) significantly accelerate bone loss and increase fracture risk. Vitamin D (VITD) protects against bone loss, ...
Computer-Mediated Social Networks and Environmental Behavior.

Research on environmental behavior highlights the role of information systems in the information acquisition and attitude formation process. Computer-mediated social networks (CMSNs) are forms of social structures that support social activity through computer-mediated communication and interactions. CMSNs can have an influential effect on social norms surrounding various issues, including environmental behavior. Further, CMSNs create a unique multi-nodal social environment within which individual behavior is virtually impacted, and eventually, physically modified. Extant research has not considered the social interactions that occur within a CMSN and how such interaction might further facilitate the adoption of environmental behaviors. This research aims to explore the influential role that CMSNs have on individuals through examination of specific attributes of a CMSN. More specifically, we examine CMSN Influencer, the message-giver within the CMSN, and CMSN Intensity, the user’s engagement in and usage of the CMSN.
Introduction: Nostra Aetate and Its Relevance for Today

Of the sixteen documents produced by the Second Vatican Council, the Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions is the briefest. Yet, it generated passionate discussions, both of a theological and political nature, and caused intense worldwide newspaper and media coverage. The document included statements on Catholic-Jewish relations, the condemnation of anti-Semitism, and endeavored to address anti-Jewish ideas in Christian history and the Church’s liturgy that helped give rise to Nazism. As the document developed, it was expanded to clarify ideas on the Church’s respect for the spiritual, moral, and cultural values of—Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and, by extension, other religious beliefs. Islam, however, came to dominate the discussions due to concerns that a statement on the Jews would be interpreted politically not religiously in the Middle East where there is no distinction between a person’s politics and religion.
How Race and Gender Shape COVID-19 Unemployment Probability

Using the April 2020 Current Population Survey (CPS) micro dataset, we explore the racialized and gendered effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the probability of being unemployed. The distribution of job losses from COVID-19 for women and men or for different racial/ethnic categories has been studied in the recent literature. We contribute to this literature by providing the first intersectional analysis of unemployment under COVID-19, where we examine the differences in the likelihood of unemployment across groups of White men, White women, Black men, Black women, Hispanic men, and Hispanic women. Controlling for individual characteristics such as education and age, as well as industry and occupation effects, we show that women of all three racial/ethnic categories are more likely to be unemployed compared to men, yet there are substantial differences across these groups based on different unemployment measures. Hispanic women have the highest likelihood of being unemployed, followed by Black women, who are still more likely to be unemployed than White women. We also examine if the ability to work from home has benefited any particular group in terms of lowering their likelihood of unemployment during the pandemic. We find that in industries with a high degree of teleworkable jobs, White women, Black men, and Hispanic men are no longer more likely to be unemployed relative to White men. However, Black women and Hispanic Women still experience a significantly higher probability of losing their jobs compared to White men even if they are employed in industries with highly teleworkable jobs. As we control for both individual and aggregate factors, our results suggest that these differences are not simply the result of the overrepresentation of women of color in certain industries and occupations; rather, unobservable factors such as discrimination could be at work.
A comparison of postoperative pain between anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and repair.

To determine if patients who underwent ACL repair experienced less short-term postoperative pain versus patients who underwent ACL reconstruction. Electronic charts were retrospectively reviewed of patients who underwent ACL surgery from November 2014 through April 2019 by a single surgeon. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether they underwent ACL repair or ACL reconstruction. A two-tailed equal variance t-test was used to evaluate visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores at the first postoperative visit. A chi-squared test of independence was used to evaluate narcotic prescription refills at the first postoperative visit. 36 ACL repair patients and 71 ACL reconstruction patients were included. The mean visual analog scale (VAS) pain score at the first postoperative visit (12.9 ± 3.7 days post-op) for ACL repair patients (2.81 ± 1.79) was significantly lower (p = .004) compared to ACL reconstruction patients (4.07 ± 2.26). The number of narcotic prescription refills at the first postoperative visit was significantly lower (p = .027, ARR = 21.4%, NNT = 4.67) in the ACL repair group (7 of 36, 19.4%) compared to the ACL reconstruction group (29 of 71, 40.8%). Patients who underwent ACL repair experienced less short-term postoperative pain and were prescribed fewer narcotics compared to patients who underwent ACL reconstruction.
The Origin of Blue Coloration in a Fulgurite from Marquette, Michigan

Abstract Few rocks or minerals display a blue hue; this is especially true for natural glasses. As glasses are already uncommon compared to crystalline rocks due to their instability, the rarity of blue glass makes a fulgurite found in Marquette Michigan worthy of further examination. We study the morphology and the chemical and structural characteristics of the blue fulgurite using Raman spectroscopy, X-Ray Fluorescence analysis, Election Microprobe Analysis, and Transmission Election Microscopy. We use the experimental results to compare the fulgurite with another blue natural glass, zhanmanshinite, an impact glass named after an exposed impact crater in Kazakhstan, and to evaluate the support for several hypotheses of the origin of the blue color in the fulgurite.
Nudging Change in Human Services: Final Report of the Behavioral Interventions to Advance Self-Sufficiency (BIAS) Project

Research in behavioral economics has shown that small changes in the environment can make it easier for people to act and make decisions that support their goals. The Behavioral Interventions to Advance Self-Sufficiency (BIAS) project, launched in 2010, was the first major project to apply behavioral insights to the human services programs that serve poor and vulnerable families in the United States. The goal of the project — sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation of the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and led by MDRC — was to learn how tools from behavioral science could be used to deliver program services more effectively and, ultimately, improve the well-being of low-income children, adults, and families. Following a systematic approach called behavioral diagnosis and design, 15 state and local agencies participated in the project, which consisted of identifying problems that are appropriate for behavioral interventions, designing interventions, and conducting rigorous tests — where appropriate — to determine whether the interventions improved outcomes. The team launched 15 tests of behavioral interventions, involving close to 100,000 clients, in eight of the participating agencies. These tests spanned three domains: child support, child care, and work support. While each intervention was customized to fit its context, all involved at least one of the behavioral principles described by the “SIMPLER” framework, which stands for social influence, implementation prompts, making deadlines, personalization, loss aversion, ease, and reminders. Evaluated through randomized controlled trials, all BIAS sites had at least one intervention with a statistically significant impact on a primary outcome of interest. The magnitude of the improvements typically ranged from 2 to 4 percentage points (in line with other behavioral research findings) — but, in several cases, impacts were much larger. These impacts may be considered large relative to the costs for the interventions, which ranged from $0.15 per person to $10.46 per person. The project’s findings suggest that small changes in, for instance, program outreach or the way that information is conveyed can help reduce some of the complexities that low-income populations face when they interact with human services agencies. While such “nudges” — defined as subtle and modest changes that help improve individual decision making — are shown to be an important aspect of the behavioral toolkit, the BIAS findings also suggest that it may be fruitful to extend the approach beyond program implementation to program design (at the local or state level) and policy formation (at the state or federal level). In this way, changes to program rules and agency practices may induce larger or longer-term changes in behavior among both clients and program staff.
Online Account Terminations/Content Removals and the Benefits of Internet Services Enforcing Their House Rules

This article reviews a dataset of U.S. judicial opinions involving Internet services’ user account terminations and content removals. The Internet services have prevailed in these lawsuits, which confirms their legal freedom to enforce their private editorial policies (“house rules”). Numerous regulators have proposed changing the legal status quo and restricting that editorial freedom. Instead of promoting free speech, that legal revision would counterproductively reduce the number of voices who get to speak online. As a result, laws imposing “must-carry” requirements on Internet services will exacerbate the problem they purport to solve.
Gender Differences in Failure-to-Rescue After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

ABSTRACT Background Female patients experience worse outcomes following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We investigated whether rates of failure-to-rescue (FTR), a systems-based quality indicator, were greater in women who underwent CABG. Methods A retrospective review was conducted on 20,045 patients who underwent isolated, non-emergent CABG between January 2002 and August 2019 at a single academic center. FTR was defined as postoperative death within 30 days after stroke, renal failure, reoperation, and prolonged ventilation. Propensity-score matching was performed utilizing preoperative variables, excluding gender. Results 4,980 propensity-score matched pairs were identified. In the matched analysis, women experienced higher rates of postoperative stroke (1.9% vs. 1.2%; p = 0.008), prolonged ventilation (13.3% vs. 10.0%, p Conclusions Women who underwent isolated, non-emergent CABG had statistically similar frequencies of FTR compared to their male counterparts despite experiencing greater rates of morbidity and mortality. Further efforts to narrow the gender outcome gap after CABG should focus on preoperative and intraoperative phases of care instead of postoperative management.
The hot baryon violation rate is O ( α w 5 T 4 )

The rate per unit volume for anomalous electroweak baryon number violation at high temperatures, in the symmetric phase, has been estimated in the literature to be $O({\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{\mathrm{w}}^{4}{T}^{4})$ based on simple scaling arguments. We argue that damping effects in the plasma suppress the rate by an extra power of ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{\mathrm{w}}$ to give $O({\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{\mathrm{w}}^{5}{T}^{4})$. We show how to understand this effect in a variety of ways ranging from an effective description of the long-distance modes responsible for baryon number violation to a microscopic picture of the short-distance modes responsible for damping. In particular, we resolve an old controversy as to whether damping effects are relevant. Finally, we argue that similar damping effects should occur in numerical simulations of the rate in classical thermal field theory on a spatial lattice, and we point out a potential problem with simulations in the literature that have not found such an effect.
The impact of insurance coverage on consumer utilization of health services

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify how need for service, enabling factors and pre-disposing characteristics influences access to service. In addition, the authors seek to examine the moderating influence of pre-disposing variables on the relationship between insurance and health services utilization. Design/methodology/approach – The authors utilize data from a major metropolitan hospital in the USA to test and extend the behavioral model of health care. Findings – Results indicate that insurance and pre-disposing variables have a direct impact on type of health service utilization. However, the insurance effect is found to vary by demographic factors. Research limitations/implications – This paper is limited to secondary data. Future work can incorporate both attitudinal and behavioral measures to obtain a more comprehensive evaluation of services access. Practical implications – The research offers a tactical framework for management to segment consumer markets more effectively. Social i...
Clinical Reasoning: A 45-year-old man with acute onset of multifocal weakness and paresthesias

A 45-year-old man with epilepsy and immunoglobulin G (IgG) κ multiple myeloma (MM) diagnosed a year ago presented to the neurology clinic with right hand weakness and paresthesias, painless proximal left arm weakness, and paresthesias in the right foot. Symptoms began acutely over a 2-week period in the setting of a diffuse nonpruritic rash. The patient had undergone an allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) a month prior due to suboptimal response to bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, etoposide, cisplatin, carfilzomib, and autologous stem cell transplant. He denied headaches, neck pain, radicular symptoms, bladder or bowel dysfunction, or gait imbalance.
Measurement and Evaluation in Post-Secondary ESL

Contents Preface Acknowledgments *Overview of the principle concepts of language testing *Basic statistics and SPSS *Validity *Reliability *Assessing reading *Assessing writing *Assessing oral proficiency Appendix: Selected standardized tests References Index
Instrumentation for measuring oculomotor performance and plasticity in larval organisms.

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights instrumentation for measuring the oculomotor performance and plasticity in larval organisms. The oculomotor system is ideal as it has been extensively utilized for quantitative analysis; however, no complete apparatus exists to both elicit and measure the eye movements in small genetic model organisms in real time. Instrumentation designed for much larger animals must be scaled to accommodate animals only a few millimeters in length, while accurately quantifying the motion of the minuscule eyes. This instrumentation permits high resolution ontogenetic analysis of oculomotor function in small animals as illustrated for larval zebrafish. Moreover, the miniaturized vestibular turntable and optokinetic drum, combined with the novel approach to larval animal immobilization and real-time eye position measurement, represent significant advances in the ability to study eye movements in several species of larval and juvenile animals. Classical physiological methods, combined with imaging approaches, allow structural changes to neuronal architecture as well as genetic mis-expression to be effectively and quantitatively linked with the functional changes in oculomotor behavior.
Comparison of recognition and grating acuities in very-low-birth-weight children with and without retinal residua of retinopathy of prematurity. Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity Cooperative Group.

PURPOSE: To compare recognition (letter) and resolution (grating) acuity in eyes with and without retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) residua. METHOD: Letter acuity measured with the crowded HOTV chart or pocket cards (Good-Lite), and grating acuity measured with the Teller Acuity Card (TAC) procedure, were compared at the 3 1/2- and 4 1/2-year follow-up exams in the CRYO-ROP study. Testers were unaware of the retinal status of individual eyes. RESULTS: Measurable scores for both letter and grating acuity were obtained from 1694 eyes at 3 1/2 years and 2101 eyes at 4 1/2 years. Correlation analysis showed that the relation between crowded HOTV and grating acuity scores was best described by a quadratic function, with r2 values of 0.57 at 3 1/2 years and 0.68 at 4 1/2 years. Difference scores were calculated for each eye by subtracting the log of the HOTV score (converted to cyc/deg based on the convention that 20/20 = 30 cyc/deg) from the log TAC score. Normal eyes showed HOTV acuity that was higher than TAC acuity by an average of 0.37 octave (SD = 0.46, n = 1150) at 3 1/2 years and 0.27 octave (SD = 0.43, n = 1337) at 4 1/2 years. HOTV and grating acuity scores were similar to each other in eyes with retinal residua of ROP. Overall, eyes with acuity better than 20/150 to 20/300 tended to show better HOTV than grating acuity, whereas those with acuity below 20/150 to 20/300 generally showed better grating than HOTV acuity. CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant correlation between crowded HOTV letter acuity and TAC grating acuity in young children for normal eyes and eyes with ROP residua. In both groups of eyes, eyes with lower acuity show better grating than letter acuity, whereas eyes with better acuity show slightly higher letter than grating acuity.
The Jet-Cooled Fluorescence Excitation Spectra, Potential Energy Functions, and Conformations of 2-Cyclopenten-1-one, Propanal, and Propynal in the S1(n,π*) Electronic Excited State

The jet-cooled fluorescence excitation spectra of 2-cyclopenten-1-one and its 5,5-d2 isotopomer have been recorded in the 370 to 340 nm region and a portion of the spectrum for the undeuterated species is shown in Figure 1. The electronic origin for this molecule occurs at 27210 cm−1 for the S1(n,π*) electronic excited state. More than fifty separate frequencies were observed and compared to earlier absorption measurements [1]. Many of the transitions involve combinations with die ring-puckering, ring-twisting, or the carbonyl bending modes. The vibrational frequencies for die three carbonyl motions and the nine ring modes were determined for the excited state, and these are compared to ground state values [2] in Table I. Bands at 67, 158, and 256 cm−1 for the d0 species, at 63, 147, and 240 cm−1 for the 5-d1 isotopomer, and at 59,138, and 227 cm−1 for the d2 species were assigned to the ring-puckering motion in the S1 state, and the transitions corresponding to these are shown in Figure 2.
Abstract 4162: Gal4/UAS-mediated pancreatic tumorigenesis in zebrafish

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Pancreatic cancer remains the 4th deadliest cancer in the United States in 2009. The 5-year survival rate for all stages remains at 5%, the lowest rate among major malignancies. Lack of methods for early detection, as well as ineffective treatments, contribute to the poor outcome of the disease. Over 90% of the pancreatic cancers are pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs). Mutations in the KRAS gene were found in majority of the PDAC lesions and played critical role in the initiation of tumorigenesis as demonstrated in transgenic mouse models. Recent pancreatic cancer genome sequencing results have highlighted the major pathways that can be altered in PDACs. The study also produced a list of novel oncogene candidates that may play parts in the rise of pancreatic cancer. To facilitate the evaluation of these candidate oncogenes’ function in pancreatic cancer in vivo, we developed zebrafish models that can overexpress transgenes specifically in pancreas, alone or in the presence of a human KRAS mutant transgene. The transgenes were introduced into zebrafish via Tol2 transposon elements. The Gal4/UAS transcriptional regulatory system was utilized to ensure targeted expressions of multiple transgenes in the pancreas, controlled by the regulatory element of the Ptf1a gene, a transcription factor critical for pancreas development. Pancreas-specific expression of the mutant KRAS transgene alone in zebrafish can give rise to pancreatic cancers similar to those observed in humans. We now have the opportunity to functionally assess a wide variety of genetic lesions for their ability to modify pancreatic cancer initiation and/or progression, achieving a level of throughput not technically feasible in the mouse. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4162.
In vitro phagocytosis by Limulus blood cells.

Abstract Limulus blood cells maintained in culture are able to phagocytose particles under conditions where bacterial endotoxin is absent. In the presence of endotoxin, phagocytosis is inhibited because the cells are immobile under these conditions and because the extracellular gel found in the presence of endotoxin prevents cell-particle contact. It is suggested that Limulus blood cells respond to Gram-negative organisms by the formation of an extracellular gel matrix that entraps the bacteria and handles other types of foreign particles by phagocytosis.
A fiber-optic pH sensor prepared using a base-catalyzed organo-silica sol–gel

Abstract Fiber-optic pH sensors have been fabricated using fluorescein isothiocyanate immobilized in a base-catalyzed organo-silica sol–gel film. Hydrophilic sol–gel coatings are made by co-polymerizing tetraethylorthosilicate and silanol-terminated polydimethylsiloxane with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and/or 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane. Unlike current techniques, which describe acid-catalyzed sol–gels, a base catalyst was found to be better suited for producing optically transparent gels when high concentrations of APTES were used. The sol–gel films are simple to make and require drying and aging times of as little as one day. pH sensors made using these gels exhibit fast response times, little or no dye leaching and good long-term stability.
Involvement of superoxide in the reactions of the catechol dioxygenases

Abstract The effect of copper salicylate on the rates of reaction of protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase (intradiol cleavage) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetate 2,3-dioxygenase (extradiol cleavage) was monitored. The data obtained is consistent with the dismutation of superoxide by the copper complex resulting in the uncoupling of the oxygen reduction step from the product formation step. Mechanistic interpretations are presented.
50-Fold Difference in Region-II Fatigue Crack Propagation Resistance of Titanium Alloys: A Grain-Size Effect

Fatigue crack growth rates (da/dN) in ambient laboratory air have been determined for a wide variety of materials from four basic α + β titanium alloy systems. Each material was cyclically loaded with a haversine waveform and a load ratio, R = 0.10. The results indicate that, at a constant value of stress-intensity range (ΔK), the width of the da/dN data band exceeds an order of magnitude. For example, at ΔK = 21 MPa·m1/2 , a 50-fold difference in fatigue crack propagation rates is observed. Analysis of the crack growth rate data at this point indicates a systematic dependence on grain size (l ), viz. that da/dN decreases with increasing l . An interpretation of this effect is offered in terms of reversed (cyclic) plastic zone size considerations.
Common Premotor Regions for the Perception and Production of Prosody and Correlations with Empathy and Prosodic Ability

Background Prosody, the melody and intonation of speech, involves the rhythm, rate, pitch and voice quality to relay linguistic and emotional information from one individual to another. A significant component of human social communication depends upon interpreting and responding to another person's prosodic tone as well as one's own ability to produce prosodic speech. However there has been little work on whether the perception and production of prosody share common neural processes, and if so, how these might correlate with individual differences in social ability. Methods The aim of the present study was to determine the degree to which perception and production of prosody rely on shared neural systems. Using fMRI, neural activity during perception and production of a meaningless phrase in different prosodic intonations was measured. Regions of overlap for production and perception of prosody were found in premotor regions, in particular the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Activity in these regions was further found to correlate with how high an individual scored on two different measures of affective empathy as well as a measure on prosodic production ability. Conclusions These data indicate, for the first time, that areas that are important for prosody production may also be utilized for prosody perception, as well as other aspects of social communication and social understanding, such as aspects of empathy and prosodic ability.
Ultrastructure of mammalian spermiogenesis. II. Elimination of the nuclear membrane.

The fate of nuclear envelope during spermiogenesis in the cottontop marmoset, Saquinus oedipus, was studied. Throughout the nuclear shaping and condensation process, excess nuclear membrane was eliminated into the posterior cytoplasm in the form of two continuous sheets at either side of the implantation fossa. Prior to middle piece formation, these membrane extensions lost their association with the caudal margin of the nucleus. The remaining membrane formed two short extensions at the caudal margin of the nucleus and was morphologically similar to the redundant nuclear membrane observed in the spermatids of numerous mammalian species. It is concluded that the redundant nuclear membrane represents only a small portion of the excess membrane formed during nuclear shaping.
Efficient 3-D Object Representations for Industrial Vision Systems

The representation of 3-D objects is an important step in solving many problems in scene analysis. One of the most successful techniques is that based on the surfaces of objects. We describe several methods for obtaining such surface representations from various types of intrinsic images. In particular, previous work is reviewed and an algorithm based on region growing is investigated in terms of its efficiency in segmenting a set of points in 3-D space into planar faces. Information on the neighborhood structure of the points in the form of a spatial proximity graph is used to direct the segmentation. Applications to industrial objects are demonstrated.
Inert gases in closed crystal growth systems

ABSTRACT The dfect of desorption from, and diffusion through the wall on inert gas pressure in sealed fused silica ampoules wasinvestigated. It is shown, that desorption from the surfaceand the bulk of silica may lead to an accumulation 1 residual gason the order cf a few Torr or more upon annealing. A prior outgassing cf the ampoules under vacuum at high temperaturereduces the amount ofgas released from the glass by at least one order ofmagnitude. Presence of oxide and other impuritiesin the source material was found to increase the residual gas pressure, Fect its composition, and reduce the vapor transportrate in PVT systems. It is shown, that light gases (hydrogen, helium, and neon) diffuse through silica wall and may changethe pressure inside the sealed ampoule considerably even at moderate temperatures.Key words: crystal growth, residual gas, diffusion ofgases in silica 1. INTRODUCTION Presence ofambient gas(es) in sealed capsules may be a critical factorin crystal growth systems. In Physical \por Transportprocesses the gas can be added intentionally (to prevent excessively high, unstable growth conditions), or can evolveunintentionally during the course ofthe process (which may lead to undesired reduction in the growth rate').
Analysis of a 3-Phase Inverter with Resistive Load

ALTHOUGH GAS-TUBE INVERTERS have had only moderate use in the past, they have potentialities of far wider applications in many fields. Possible applications include use of inverters to supply power to induction and synchronous motors, use of inverters at the receiving end of a d-c transmission line, and use of inverters in electric railway systems to allow power to flow from the d-c system to the a-c supply. Certain polyphase circuits have been designed primarily for operation at a fixed-frequency or over a limited-frequency range. If operation of polyphase inverters can be extended down to zero frequency, inverters may be able to supply variable-frequency power to polyphase induction and synchronous motors, thereby providing continuously variable speed from zero to full speed in either direction. An inverter circuit capable of this type of operation is the 3-phase bridge-type inverter which is commutated by capacitors connected across the output terminals of the inverter, as shown in Figure 1.
Isolation and Identification of Citrinin Produced by Penicillium lanosum

Abstract Penicillium lanosum, when grown on corn, produces a metabolite which increases water intake and excretion by chicks. During a 5-hr test period, chicks fed inoculated corn as the only feed began excreting water within 2 hr and excreted as much as 36 ml, whereas chicks fed untreated corn did not excrete measurable amounts. Chicks fed the inoculated corn drank more water than those fed untreated corn. The metabolite could not be extracted from oven-dried corn but was removed from air-dried corn which had been moistened with acid and extracted with chloroform and then with methanol. It was soluble in 1% sodium bicarbonate and precipitated as yellow crystals when the solution was acidified to pH 1.5. The precipitate was identified as citrinin based on the results of thin layer chromatography, ultraviolet, infrared, mass spectrometer, fluorescence excitation and emission, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra.
When life writing becomes death writing: "The journal of Emily Shore".

The recently discovered manuscript of Emily Shore's last journal, 1839, yields a number of interesting insights into the Victorian illness narrative. Shore inscribed this final journal in Madeira, where she had repaired to try to recover from tuberculosis. Unfortunately, she died there, only a few months after her arrival. Journal entries for Shore's last months are both poignant and revealing in terms of their narrative strategies. The last journal begins as a kind of travel narrative and study of island and family life, but it is transformed first into a careful relational narrative about others afflicted with the disease and then into a kind of spiritual autobiography. It ends abruptly with staccato entries made in an altered hand as Shore tries to record her last thoughts while fatally ill.
Wireless ad hoc lattice computers (WAdL)

We propose an architecture to harness the comparatively low computational power of geographically concentrated mobile devices (such as in a wireless ad hoc network, especially a sensor network) to build a wireless ad hoc lattice computer (WAdL). The primary contribution of the WAdL design is the ability to maintain, despite the mobility of the participating devices, a virtual lattice where the devices represent lattice points. WAdL is a cellular automaton-like architecture designed to carry out simulations of the unfolding of physical phenomena (e.g., fluid flow, system of moving, interacting objects, etc.) in the bounded region of Euclidean space represented by the underlying virtual lattice of WAdL. We present the design and algorithms of the WAdL architecture, and demonstrate its use with an example application (lift and drag on an airplane wing in flight) implemented on a simulated WAdL environment. We also discuss current issues and future directions of work on the WAdL architecture.
Drawing on the Back of an Envelope: a framework for interacting with application programs by freehand drawing

Abstract The Back of an Envelope project demonstrates how a calligraphic interface (one that employs a pen or stylus to input freehand drawing marks) can be used in a wide variety of domains, from databases to simulation programs, to 3D modeling, from mostly symbolic diagrams to freeform sketches. The wide variety of drawing types and domains calls for a diverse range of approaches. We describe some of the functionality of our systems, including contextual recognition of symbols and configurations and emergent shape recognition, and some of the calligraphic interfaces we’ve built.
Ovotesticular Disorder of Sex Development With Mosaic 45,X/46,X,idic(Y) (q11.23) Karyotype and Streak Gonad

An infant born at 38-weeks' gestation presented with ambiguous genitalia. Cytogenetic evaluation revealed an uncommon 45,X/46,X,idic(Y) mosaic karyotype. Pelvic ultrasonography, genitogram, and magnetic resonance imaging confirmed a long common urogenital sinus, vagina, cervix, unicornuate uterus, phallus, and bilateral intra-abdominal gonads resembling testes. The parents chose a male sex of rearing, and the infant underwent total abdominal hysterectomy, vaginectomy, bilateral gonadectomy, and first-stage hypospadias repair at 19 months of age. The histopathologic findings were consistent with ovotesticular disorder of sex development with a unique combination of testis and ovary on the left and testis and streak gonad on the right.
On implementation of sampling with internal antialiasing filtering in software defined receivers

Although bandpass sampling potentially provides higher performance of SDRs than the baseband one, conventional technique does not allow realizing all its advantages. Comparative analysis of conventional bandpass sampling and sampling with internal antialiasing filtering shows that the latter makes possible this realization. It enables digitization close to the antenna and significant improvement in dynamic range, adaptivity, reconfigurability, and scale of integration of SDRs. Although ways of this sampling technique implementation are different for SDRs intended for reception of one or a few signals at a time and for SDRs intended for simultaneous reception of many signals, it is equally advantageous for both types of SDRs.
The potential association of lung cancer with passive smoking

Abstract The potential association of lung cancer with passive smoking has been studied epidemiologically, clinically, and with mathematical models. There have been both positive and negative studies, such that the association is still considered a potential rather than probable one. These studies, and the mathematical models, indicate that major factor in determining the relationship is the dose, and that more research is required to determine the dose side of the dose-response relationship.
Schistosomiasis in the Senegal River Basin: before and after the construction of the dams at Diama, Senegal and Manantali, Mali and future prospects

Ecological changes in the Senegal River Basin (SRB) resulting from the construction of a barrage at Diama, Senegal on the Senegal River to prevent the intrusion of sea water into the river, and a dam at Manantali, Mali on the Bafing River to control the flow of water and to generate electricity, have been responsible for changes in the epidemiology of human schistosomiasis. The introduction of Schistosoma mansoni into the Lower and Middle Valleys of the SRB and subsequent spread of the parasite in the human population is recorded with regard to prevalence and intensity. New foci of S. haematobium are described. The reduction in salinity and change from an acidic to an alkaline environment in the water are beneficial to both the fecundity and growth of freshwater snails and transmission of the parasite. The creation of new irrigation canals and expansion of the rice fields have provided new habitats for intermediate hosts to colonize. The evidence for praziquantel resistance/tolerance by populations of S. mansoni and the possibilities of the development, production and testing of a vaccine against human schistosomiasis are discussed. Future studies will monitor the spread of human urinary and mesenteric schistosomiasis in the SRB, will evaluate further the presence of praziquantel resistance/tolerance in S. mansoni, will examine the heavily infected human population for pathological symptoms and determine the most appropriate methods to control this severe outbreak of human schistosomiasis.
Molecular biology of natriuretic peptides and nitric oxide synthases.

Natriuretic peptides and nitric oxide play important roles in cardiovascular and renal physiology and disease. The natriuretic peptides — atrial natriuretic peptide, brain natriuretic peptide, and C-type natriuretic peptide — comprise a family of proteins that participate in the integrated control of intravascular volume and arterial blood pressure. The natriuretic peptides differentially bind distinct classes of receptors that signal through different mechanisms. Membrane-bound, guanylyl cyclase-coupled natriuretic peptide receptors (A- and B-types) mediate natriuretic peptide effects through the production of 3′,5′-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). C-Type natriuretic peptide receptors, which lack the guanylyl cyclase domain, alter target cell function through Gi protein-coupled inhibition of membrane adenylyl cyclase activity, and also serve to clear circulating natriuretic peptides. The expression of the natriuretic peptides and their receptors are subject to complex controls. Similar structural and regulatory diversity exists for the nitric oxide synthases. The three nitric oxide synthase genes are regulated by a variety of mechanisms ranging from alternative splicing and alternative promoter usage to complex post-translational controls. This review highlights the molecular diversity of the natriuretic peptides and nitric oxide synthases and explores recent insights into their regulation.
Multiple restriction fragment length polymorphisms associated with the Vc determinant of the MN blood group-related chimpanzee V-A-B-D system.

Twelve restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) were detected in common chimpanzee using two restriction enzymes (HindIII andMspI) and four DNA probes to the coding regions of the human glycophorin A (GPA) and glycophorin B (GPB) genes and their 3′-untranslated regions. Seven RFLPs correlated with red cell expression of the Vc determinant of the MN blood group-related V-A-B-D system and five RFLPs correlated with nonexpression of this antigen. Animals heterozygous for theV allele that encodes the Vc determinant had all 12 polymorphic restriction fragments and appeared to show reduced intensity of probe hybridization to these fragments, consistent with the presence of aV and a non-V allele. No RFLPs were detected withEcoRI,SstI, orBamHI, in spite of the relatively large segment of DNA (at least 20 kb) involved in the polymorphisms. The RFLPs were chimpanzee specific and were not found in man, gorilla, orangutan, or gibbon. Multiple RFLPs distinguishing primate species are rare and may be useful markers for molecular evolution.