cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Rare Radiographic Sunburst Appearance of Odontogenic Myxomas: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Odontogenic myxomas often have a distinctive radiographic presentation described as a "soap bubble", "tennis racket", or "honeycomb" pattern. Less frequently, examples of odontogenic myxomas with a "sunray" or "sunburst" pattern have been reported. Because malignant entities such as osteosarcomas more classically present with a sunray/sunburst appearance, odontogenic myxomas are rarely considered in the radiographic differential diagnosis of a sunburst lesion. The objective of this paper is to report a case of an odontogenic myxoma presenting with a sunburst appearance and to review similar reported cases in the literature. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this additional case of an odontogenic myxoma presenting with a sunburst appearance brings the total number of sunray/sunburst cases reported in the English language literature to 21.
DNA fragmentation index (DFI) as a measure of sperm quality and fertility in mice

Although thousands of genetically modified mouse strains have been cryopreserved by sperm freezing, the likelihood of cryorecovery success cannot be accurately predicted using conventional sperm parameters. The objective of the present study was to assess the extent to which measurement of a sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) can predict sperm quality and fertility after cryopreservation. Using a modified TUNEL assay, we measured and correlated the DFI of frozen-thawed sperm from 83 unique mutant mouse strains with sperm count, motility and morphology. We observed a linear inverse correlation between sperm DFI and sperm morphology and motility. Further, sperm DFI was significantly higher from males with low sperm counts compared to males with normal sperm counts (P < 0.0001). Additionally, we found that viable embryos derived using sperm from males with high DFI (62.7 ± 7.2% for IVF and 73.3 ± 8.1% for ICSI) failed to litter after embryo transfer compared to embryos from males with low DFI (20.4 ± 7.9% for IVF and 28.1 ± 10.7 for ICSI). This study reveals that measurement of DFI provides a simple, informative and reliable measure of sperm quality and can accurately predict male mouse fertility.
Efficacy and Safety of LCP-Tacrolimus (Envarsus XR®) Conversion Therapy in Heart Transplantation

Purpose Little is known about the usefulness of LCP-tacrolimus (LCPT, Envarsus XR®) in heart transplantation. Tacrolimus-based immunosuppression use is limited by neurologic adverse reactions and consequent difficulty in titration of drug doses to therapeutic targets. LCPT offers improved bioavailability and lower peak blood concentrations which may lead to fewer neurological adverse effects while allowing for adequate therapeutic trough level titration. We aimed to evaluate outcomes in patients who were transitioned from immediate-release (IR) tacrolimus to LCPT. Methods In this retrospective, single center analysis (1/2015-7/2019), 84 patients were transplanted, and 17 were converted to LCPT, predominantly for neurological adverse events (n=9) or failure to achieve a therapeutic drug level with IR tacrolimus (n=4) or both (n=4). Patients were followed for improvement in symptoms, rates of rejection and renal function. Results IR tacrolimus was converted to LCPT early post-transplant (median 1 month; 0.5-11 months). Median equivalent dose conversion ratio was 0.77 (LCPT/IR Tacrolimus). Dose stability trend was better with LCPT, which required 1.5 dose changes per month on average as compared to 3.0 changes for IR tacrolimus (range: 0-6.7 vs 0-8.0, respectively, p=0.07). Among 13/17 patients transitioned for neurotoxicity, 8 reported improvement in symptoms, 4 no improvement, and 1 worsening symptoms. In 7 patients, peak levels were checked (2-3 hours post dose) prior to conversion and were not excessively elevated (median 18.1; 15.5-33.4 ng/mL); six of these reported improvement in tremors or headaches after conversion despite moderate peak levels. ISHLT grade ≥ 2R rejections were infrequent and occurred in 1 patient on LCPT after intentional lowering of immunosuppression in the setting of invasive fungal infection. LCPT was associated with worsening renal function with median serum creatinine 0.99 mg/dL prior to conversion and 1.56 mg/dL after conversion (p=0.002). Conclusion LCPT conversion therapy in heart transplantation allows maintenance of therapeutic drug levels in those difficult to achieve with IR tacrolimus and is associated with improved neurological symptoms and low rates of allograft rejection. However, significant concerns remain with regard to worsening renal function.
The Business of Induction: Industry and Genius in the Language of British Scientific Reform, 1820–1840:

Afin de comprendre le sens du langage economique qui formait les pratiques culturelles des anciens philosophes victoriens, il est important de comprendre ce qu'ils acqueraient en utilisant un tel langage
Emergent mystery in the Kondo insulator samarium hexaboride

Samarium hexaboride (SmB6) is an example of a Kondo insulator, in which strong electron correlations cause a band gap to open. SmB6 hosts both a bulk insulating state and a conductive surface state. Within a Fermi-liquid framework, the strongly correlated ground-state electronic structure can be mapped to a simple state resembling a topological insulator. Although uncertainties remain, many experiments provide compelling evidence that the conductive surface states have a topological origin. However, the bulk behaviour is less well understood and some experiments indicate bulk in-gap states. This has inspired the development of many theories that predict the emergence of new bulk quantum phases beyond Landau’s Fermi-liquid model. We review the current progress on understanding both the surface and the bulk states, especially the experimental evidence for each. A mystery centres on the existence of the bulk in-gap states and why they appear in some experiments but not others. Adding to the mystery is why quantum oscillations in SmB6 appear only in magnetization but not in resistivity. We conclude by elaborating on three questions: why SmB6 is worth studying, what can be done to move forwards and what other correlated insulators could give additional insight. The Kondo insulator samarium hexaboride is the first experimentally demonstrated example of a strongly correlated topological insulator. This article reviews the topological theory and experimental evidence, including a mystery as to the origin of quantum oscillations and their relation to possible unconventional bulk in-gap states.
Methodology for inferring reactor core power distribution from an optical fiber based gamma thermometer array

Abstract A 4-step data analytic methodology has been devised for the purpose of inferring the distribution of power in a reactor core, based on the response of an array of optical fiber based gamma thermometers (OFBGTs). This data analytic methodology is crucial for the development of a system of OFBGTs for the purpose of calibrating local power range monitors in boiling water reactors. Such a system would be an improvement to the present calibration system in boiling water reactors, in terms of safety, efficiency, and permanence. The first step of this methodology is to establish an energy balance method. In this method, one uses MCNP to determine response functions, which allow one to convert from gamma thermometer response to power. The gamma thermometers and the reactor core are segmented, such that each gamma thermometer segment provides an estimate of power for each reactor core segment. The estimates of power for the reactor core segments (hereafter referred to as fuel assembly segments) are calculated based on the measured response of the gamma thermometers. The second step of the methodology is to employ a weighting scheme to combine the estimates of the power of the various fuel assembly segments, based on the response of the various OFGBT segments and the incremental dose rates of the various fuel assembly segments to the OFBGT segments. The third step is to iteratively calculate the estimates of the power of the fuel assembly segments, until a convergence criterion is met, which indicates that the calculation has converged. The fourth and final step of the methodology is to estimate the uncertainty of the power for each fuel assembly segment. The mathematical basis for this step is not the focus of this paper. We have used a 3-D homogeneous reactor model to demonstrate the data analytic methodology; and have found that the data analytic methodology operates as intended.
Pediatric unilateral isolated choanal atresia is not associated with mandibular condyle hypoplasia.

Abstract Purpose We hypothesized that the ontogeny of unilateral isolated choanal atresia involves a field defect manifesting as ipsilateral mandibular condylar hypoplasia. The topic is important because the mechanism of the unilateral isolated choanal atresia is unknown. Materials and methods Retrospective self-controlled case series. We included 20 patients (2 males and 18 females, ages 2 weeks to 13 years) with unilateral isolated non-syndromic choanal atresia. We studied their high-resolution computed tomographic scans. Two otolaryngologists measured the largest cross-sectional area of the mandibular condyle in the axial plane perpendicular to the posterior border of each mandibular ramus independently. Statistical significance and inter-rater agreement were calculated with paired Wilcoxon rank sum test and Spearman's non-parametric correlation coefficient respectively. Results Cross-sectional areas of the condyles ipsilateral to the choanal atresia were not statistically different than those of the contralateral condyle (P = 0.27). Inter-observer agreement of condyle areas was excellent: Spearman's r = 0.85 on the right and r = 0.94 on the left. Conclusions In this cohort of children with the rarity of isolated non-syndromic unilateral congenital choanal atresia, no associated mandibular condyle hypoplasia was found. The data suggest that the underlying ontogeny was unlikely attributable to a field defect.
Inhibition of the de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway limits ribosomal RNA transcription causing nucleolar stress in glioblastoma cells.

Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive type of cancer in the brain; its poor prognosis is often marked by reoccurrence due to resistance to the chemotherapeutic agent temozolomide, which is triggered by an increase in the expression of DNA repair enzymes such as MGMT. The poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options led to studies targeted at understanding specific vulnerabilities of glioblastoma cells. Metabolic adaptations leading to increased synthesis of nucleotides by de novo biosynthesis pathways are emerging as key alterations driving glioblastoma growth. In this study, we show that enzymes necessary for the de novo biosynthesis of pyrimidines, DHODH and UMPS, are elevated in high grade gliomas and in glioblastoma cell lines. We demonstrate that DHODH’s activity is necessary to maintain ribosomal DNA transcription (rDNA). Pharmacological inhibition of DHODH with the specific inhibitors brequinar or ML390 effectively depleted the pool of pyrimidines in glioblastoma cells grown in vitro and in vivo and impaired rDNA transcription, leading to nucleolar stress. Nucleolar stress was visualized by the aberrant redistribution of the transcription factor UBF and the nucleolar organizer nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1), as well as the stabilization of the transcription factor p53. Moreover, DHODH inhibition decreased the proliferation of glioblastoma cells, including temozolomide-resistant cells. Importantly, the addition of exogenous uridine, which reconstitutes the cellular pool of pyrimidine by the salvage pathway, to the culture media recovered the impaired rDNA transcription, nucleolar morphology, p53 levels, and proliferation of glioblastoma cells caused by the DHODH inhibitors. Our in vivo data indicate that while inhibition of DHODH caused a dramatic reduction in pyrimidines in tumor cells, it did not affect the overall pyrimidine levels in normal brain and liver tissues, suggesting that pyrimidine production by the salvage pathway may play an important role in maintaining these nucleotides in normal cells. Our study demonstrates that glioblastoma cells heavily rely on the de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway to generate ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and thus, we identified an approach to inhibit ribosome production and consequently the proliferation of glioblastoma cells through the specific inhibition of the de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway.
Potentially adaptive SARS-CoV-2 mutations discovered with novel spatiotemporal and explainable AI models.

A mechanistic understanding of the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and diligent tracking of ongoing mutagenesis are of key importance to plan robust strategies for confining its transmission. Large numbers of available sequences and their dates of transmission provide an unprecedented opportunity to analyze evolutionary adaptation in novel ways. Addition of high-resolution structural information can reveal the functional basis of these processes at the molecular level. Integrated systems biology-directed analyses of these data layers afford valuable insights to build a global understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here we identify globally distributed haplotypes from 15,789 SARS-CoV-2 genomes and model their success based on their duration, dispersal, and frequency in the host population. Our models identify mutations that are likely compensatory adaptive changes that allowed for rapid expansion of the virus. Functional predictions from structural analyses indicate that, contrary to previous reports, the Asp614Gly mutation in the spike glycoprotein (S) likely reduced transmission and the subsequent Pro323Leu mutation in the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase led to the precipitous spread of the virus. Our model also suggests that two mutations in the nsp13 helicase allowed for the adaptation of the virus to the Pacific Northwest of the USA. Finally, our explainable artificial intelligence algorithm identified a mutational hotspot in the sequence of S that also displays a signature of positive selection and may have implications for tissue or cell-specific expression of the virus. These results provide valuable insights for the development of drugs and surveillance strategies to combat the current and future pandemics.
The anthropocene: a multidisciplinary approach

The question of how to approach an issue as immense and complex as the Anthropocene has been taken up by a range of academic disciplines over the past decade. From geology to philosophy, many disci...
Numerical Investigation of Turbulent Junction Flows

Turbulent junction flows are known to exhibit a bimodal behavior of the horseshoe vortex that can be described by a random switching between a zero-flow and a backflow mode. The physical mechanism ...
Effect of Screen Time on Recovery From Concussion: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance There are limited data to guide screen time recommendations after concussion. Objective To determine whether screen time in the first 48 hours after concussion has an effect on the duration of concussive symptoms. Design, Setting, and Participants This randomized clinical trial was conducted in the pediatric and adult emergency departments of a tertiary medical center between June 2018 and February 2020. Participants included a convenience sample of patients aged 12 to 25 years presenting to the emergency department within 24 hours of sustaining a concussion. A total of 162 patients were approached, 22 patients met exclusion criteria, and 15 patients declined participation; 125 participants were enrolled and randomized. Interventions Patients were either permitted to engage in screen time (screen time permitted group) or asked to abstain from screen time (screen time abstinent group) for 48 hours after injury. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was days to resolution of symptoms, defined as a total Post-Concussive Symptom Scale (PCSS) score of 3 points or lower. Patients completed the PCSS, a 22-symptom scale that grades each symptom from 0 (not present) to 6 (severe), each day for 10 days. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression modeling were used to compare the 2 groups. A Wilcoxon rank sum test was also performed among participants who completed the PCSS each day through recovery or conclusion of the study period. Results Among 125 patients with concussion, the mean (SD) age was 17.0 (3.4) years; 64 participants (51.2%) were male. A total of 66 patients were randomized to the screen time permitted group, and 59 patients were randomized to the screen time abstinent group. The Cox regression model including the intervention group and the patient’s self-identified sex demonstrated a significant effect of screen time (hazard ratio [HR], 0.51; 95% CI, 0.29-0.90), indicating that participants who engaged in screen time were less likely to recover during the study period. In total, 91 patients were included in the Wilcoxon rank sum test (47 patients from the screen time permitted group, and 44 patients from the screen time abstinent group). The screen time permitted group had a significantly longer median recovery time of 8.0 days (interquartile range [IQR], 3.0 to >10.0 days) compared with 3.5 days (IQR, 2.0 to >10.0 days;P = .03) in the screen time abstinent group. The screen time permitted group reported a median screen time of 630 minutes (IQR, 415-995 minutes) during the intervention period compared with 130 minutes (IQR, 61-275 minutes) in the screen time abstinent group. Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this study indicated that avoiding screen time during acute concussion recovery may shorten the duration of symptoms. A multicenter study would help to further assess the effect of screen time exposure. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT03564210
Healing Makes Our Hearts Happy: Spirituality and Cultural Transformation among the Kalahari Ju/'hoansi

Healing Makes Our Hearts Happy: Spirituality and Cultural Transformation among the Kalaharilu/'hoansi Richard Katz Megan Biesele and Verna St Denis Rochester Vermont: Inner Traditions, 1997. 214pp. $29.95
DESOLACIÓN URBANA Y DENIGRACIÓN SIMBÓLICA EN EL HIPERGUETTO

p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; } Este articulo utiliza la descripcion etnografica de un corredor devastado del ghetto negro de Chicago en el fin de siglo, como punto de partida para reflejar las relaciones entre el entorno construido, la estructura social y la psicologia colectiva. Apunta a la necesidad de elaborar teorica y empiricamente las conexiones entre la desolacion urbana y la denigracion simbolica en vecindarios de relegacion en la dualizante metropolis de las sociedades avanzadas: como la experiencia cotidiana de deterioro material, aislamiento etnoracial y marginalidad socioeconomica se traducen en la corrosion del si, el deterioro de los lazos interpersonales, y la torsion de la politica publica a traves de la mediacion de la sulfurosa cognicion atada a un espacio difamado.
Lessons from efforts to automatically translate english to knowledge representation languages

Our long term goal is to develop systems that can "understand" natural language text. By "understand" we mean that the system can take natural language text as input and answer questions with respect to that text. A key component in building such systems is to be able to translate natural language text into appropriate knowledge representation (KR) languages. Our approach to achieve that is inspired by Montagues path breaking thesis (1970) of viewing English as a formal language and by the research in natural language semantics. Our approach is based on PCCG (Probabilistic Combinatorial Categorial Grammars), λ-calculus and statistical learning of parameters. In an initial work, we start with an initial vocabulary consisting of λ-calculus representations of a small set of words and a training corpus of sentences and their representation in a KR language. We develop a learning based system that learns the λ-calculus representation of words from this corpus and generalizes it to words of the same category. The key and novel aspect in this learning is the development of Inverse Lambda algorithms which when given λ-expressions β and γ can come up with an a such that application of a to β (or β to α) will give us γ. We augment this with learning of weights associated with multiple meanings of words. Our current system produces improved results on standard corpora on natural language interfaces for robot command and control and database queries. In a follow-up work we are able to use patterns to make guesses regarding the initial vocabulary. This together with learning of parameters allow us to develop a fully automated (without any initial vocabulary) way to translate English to designated KR languages. In an on-going work we use Answer Set Programming as the target KR language and focus on (a) solving combinatorial puzzles that are described in English and (b) answering questions with respect to a chapter in a ninth grade biology book. The systems that we are building are good examples of integration of results from multiple sub-fields of AI and computer science, viz.: machine learning, knowledge representation, natural language processing, λ-calculus (functional programming) and ontologies. In this presentation we will describe our approach and our system and elaborate on some of the lessons that we have learned from this effort.
Difference troubles: The refusal of sexual difference: queering sociology

If we follow the recent history and theory of sexuality, we are asked to assume that sexuality is a social fact. What is imagined as sexuality, its personal and social meaning and form, varies historically and between social groups. Indeed, if we are to take seriously Foucault's The History of Sexuality (1980), the very idea of sexuality as a unity composed of discrete desires, acts, developmental patterns, and sexual and psychological types, is itself a recent and uniquely “modern” Western event. For example, the ancient Greeks imagined a sphere of pleasures ( aphrodisia ) which included eating, athletics, man/boy love, and marriage, not a realm of sexuality (Foucault 1985). This new theorizing figures sex as thoroughly social: bodies, sensations, pleasures, acts, and interactions are made into “sex” or accrue sexual meanings by individuals, groups, discourses, and institutional practices. Framing “sex” as social unavoidably makes it a political fact. Which sensations or acts are denned as sexual and what moral boundaries demarcate legitimate and illegitimate sex and who stipulates this is political. Paralleling class or gender politics, sexual politics involves struggles around the formation of, and resistance to, a sexual social hierarchy (Rubin 1982). The current theorization of sex as a social and political fact prompts a rereading of the history of modern societies and social knowledges. In this chapter, I offer a sketch of a critical reinterpretation of classical and current sociology from the vantage point of recent Western queer studies.
Topic modeling of SSH logs using latent dirichlet allocation for the application in cyber security

Cyber intrusions are one of the main causes of fear across the internet and now, due to the substantial increase in network traffic, detection of each unauthorized access has become extremely difficult. Brute-force attacks are the most common form of malicious traffic. To prevent such attacks and detect them in real time many new techniques have been developed. The majority of these techniques monitor the sequential transfers between users/IPs and the network. However, though many networks are now monitoring their logs and can identify when brute-force attacks occur, they cannot provide more detailed information about the attack (such as where and how) without some form of direct visual inspection of the logs. In this paper, we explore a Latent Dirichlet Allocation as a form of topic modeling of IP addresses through SSH authentication logs with the final goal of automating classifications of users. Using textual topics or the “top words” associated with logs, we differentiate legitimate users and brute-attackers users according to their IP addresses and discuss the potential of topic modelling for identifying and further classification of cyber threats.
THUNDERSTORM FREQUENCY AND SOLAR SECTOR BOUNDARIES

With solar sector boundary dates as key days in the superposed epoch method and with thunderstorm frequency over latitude band in Northern United States as the variable, a maximum in thunderstorm frequency was found one day after boundary passage in three independent sets of data. This appears to be statistically significant on the 1% level.
Encoding and Decoding with Prior Knowledge: From SLIM to SPICE

Conventional magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) is a Fourier transform-based imaging technique. During data acquisition, Fourier encodings or -space data are acquired. Decoding (or image reconstruction) is often accomplished using the truncated Fourier series. To overcome the well-known limited-data problem with Fourier transform MRSI, several constrained MRSI methods have been developed to exploit prior knowledge to improve the coding (data acquisition) and decoding (image reconstruction) process. This article reviews two of these constrained MRSI methods: SLIM (Spectral Localization by IMaging) and SPICE (SPectroscopic Imaging by exploiting spatiospectral CorrElation). SLIM is a classical method designed to use explicit boundary information obtained from anatomical imaging to improve spectral localization; SPICE is a modern method that exploits the subspace (or low-rank) structure of spatiospectral functions for efficient spatiospectral encoding and high-quality image reconstruction from sparsely sampled data. Keywords: Nyquist criterion; Gibbs artifact; constrained reconstruction; sparse sampling; partial separability; low-rank model; subspace model
Arterial blood gas parameters of normal foals born at 1500 metres elevation

Reasons for performing study: Arterial blood gas analysis is widely accepted as a diagnostic tool to assess respiratory function in neonates. To the authors' knowledge, there are no published reports of arterial blood gas parameters in normal neonatal foals at altitude. Objective: To provide information on arterial blood gas parameters of normal foals born at 1500 m elevation (Fort Collins, Colorado) in the first 48 h post partum. Hypothesis: Foals born at 1500 m will have lower P a O 2 and P a CO 2 than foals born at sea level due to low inspired oxygen and compensatory hyperventilation occurring at altitude. Methods: Sixteen foals were studied. Arterial blood gas analysis was performed within 1 h of foaling and subsequent samples were evaluated at 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h post partum. Data were compared to those previously reported in healthy foals born near sea level. Results: Mean P a O 2 was 53.0 mmHg (7.06 kPa) within 1 h of foaling, rising to 67.5 mmHg (9.00 kPa) at 48 h post partum. P a CO 2 was 44.1 mmHg (5.88 kPa) within one hour of foaling, falling to 38.3 mmHg (5.11 kPa) at 48 h. Both P a O 2 and P a CO 2 were significantly lower in foals born at 1500 m elevation than those near sea level at several time points during the first 48 h. Conclusions and potential relevance: Foals at 1500 m elevation undergo hypobaric hypoxia and compensatory hyperventilation in the first 48 h. Altitude specific normal arterial blood values are an important reference for veterinarians providing critical care to equine neonates.
Thin film heat flux sensors fabricated on copper substrates for thermal measurements in microfluidic environments

Micro-scale heat flux sensors are fabricated on bulk copper surfaces using a combination of lithography-based microfabrication and micro end milling. The heat flux sensors are designed to enable heat transfer measurements on an individual pin in a copper micro pin fin heat sink. Direct fabrication of the sensors on copper substrates minimizes the thermal resistance between the sensor and pin. To fabricate the devices, copper wafers were polished to a flatness and roughness suitable for microfabrication and standard processes, including photolithography, polyimide deposition via spinning, and metal deposition through physical vapor deposition were tailored for use on the unique copper substrates. Micro end milling was then used to create 3D pin features and segment the devices from the copper substrate. Temperature calibrations of the sensors were performed using a tube furnace and the heat flux sensing performance was assessed through laser-based tests. This paper describes the design, fabrication and calibration of these integrated heat flux sensors.
Tuberculin skin test conversion rate among short-term health care workers returning from Gaborone, Botswana.

Summary Our objective was to determine tuberculin skin test conversion rate of health care workers traveling to Botswana. The rate of tuberculin skin test conversion was 4.2% for the entire group studied or 6.87 per 1000 person weeks (95% CI, 1.87–17.60). Background International travel by health care workers traveling from low incidence countries to areas of the world where tuberculosis is highly endemic places the health care worker at an increased risk of acquiring tuberculosis. Objectives To determine the tuberculin skin test conversion rate of health care workers living in the United States with previously negative tuberculin skin test results working for less than 1 year in a hospital in Botswana where tuberculosis is highly endemic. Methods We performed a cross-sectional survey among health care workers affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine who participated in patient care in Botswana between July 1st 2004 and June 30th 2009. We recruited health care workers after returning from Botswana who had a documented negative tuberculin skin test in the year prior to travel, who spent at least 2 weeks but not more than 1 year and who had a documented tuberculin skin test 2–3 months post travel. The main study outcome was a positive tuberculin skin test 6–12 weeks after returning from Botswana, defined by an area of at least 10 mm induration 48–72 h after placement of the tuberculin skin test. Results 95 Subjects participated in the study and there were 4 tuberculin skin test conversions. The rate of tuberculin skin test conversion in our study population was 4.2% for the entire group studied or 6.87 per 1000 person weeks (95% CI, 1.87–17.60). Conclusions The tuberculin skin test conversion rate was higher than the reported conversion rates for those not working in a health care setting.
Structural identities of four glycosylated lipids in the oral bacterium Streptococcus mutans UA159

The cariogenic bacterium Streptococcus mutans is an important dental pathogen that forms biofilms on tooth surfaces, which provide a protective niche for the bacterium where it secretes organic acids leading to the demineralization of tooth enamel. Lipids, especially glycolipids are likely to be key components of these biofilm matrices. The UA159 strain of S. mutans was among the earliest microorganisms to have its genome sequenced. While the lipids of other S. mutans strains have been identified and characterized, lipid analyses of UA159 have been limited to a few studies on its fatty acids. Here we report the structures of the four major glycolipids from stationary-phase S. mutans UA159 cells grown in standing cultures. These were shown to be monoglucosyldiacylglycerol (MGDAG), diglucosyldiacylglycerol (DGDAG), diglucosylmonoacylglycerol (DGMAG) and, glycerophosphoryldiglucosyldiacylglycerol (GPDGDAG). The structures were determined by high performance thin-layer chromatography, mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The glycolipids were identified by accurate, high resolution, and tandem mass spectrometry. The identities of the sugar units in the glycolipids were determined by a novel and highly efficient NMR method. All sugars were shown to have α-glycosidic linkages and DGMAG was shown to be acylated in the sn-1 position by NMR. This is the first observation of unsubstituted DGMAG in any organism and the first mass spectrometry data for GPDGDAG.
Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy substrates created via electron beam lithography and nanotransfer printing.

The development of quantitative, highly sensitive surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates requires control over size, shape, and position of metal nanoparticles. Despite the fact that SERS has gained the reputation as an information-rich spectroscopy for detection of many classes of analytes, in some isolated instances down to the single molecule detection limit, its future development depends critically on techniques for nanofabrication. Herein, an unconventional nanofabrication approach is used to produce efficient SERS substrates. Metallic nanopatterns of silver disks are transferred from a stamp onto poly(dimethysiloxane) (PDMS) to create nanocomposite substrates with regular periodic morphologies. The stamp with periodic arrays of square, triangular, and elliptical pillars is created via electron beam lithography (EBL) of ma-N 2403 resist. A modified cyclodextrin is thermally evaporated onto the stamp to overcome the adhesive nature of the EBL resist and to function as a releasing layer...
Analysis of acylcarnitines in normal human urine with the radioisotopic exchange-high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method

The identification of camitine esters in the urine is important in the diagnosis of metabolic diseases which alter camitine metabolism [l]. Their quantitation may also give clues to the physiological role of carnitine in the metabolism of branched chain amino acids and fatty acids, the influence of nutrition on these processes and the possible function of camitine in the conjugation of potentially toxic endogenous or exogenous organic acids. The excretion of total, free and acylcamitine [2-41 and that of acetylcamitine [5] in healthy humans has been measured in several studies. However, the analysis of individual camitine esters in normal human urine has been incomplete due to a lack of methods sensitive and specific enough to detect low concentrations of these compounds. In the following, we report the quantitation of camitine esters in normal human urine using a modification of the radioisotopic exchange-HPLC method originally described by Kemer and Bieber for tissue extracts and colostrum WI.
Practice-Based Research: Is It Worthwhile?…A Clinician's View

Research based in a private practice setting is extremely difficult to accomplish. Today, agencies such as the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), make grants available to assist practice-based research networks (PBRNS). It is an attempt to encourage and enhance their capacity to conduct research in primary care settings and to translate research findings into practice. Every day we experience very busy schedules that include performing therapy on our own patients and checking postoperative and hygienists’ patients. This leads to stress not only on us but our staff as well. Why then should we endeavor to include practice-based clinical research in this setting? Is it worth it? You bet it is.
Resettlement and Gender Dimensions of Land Rights in Post-Conflict Northern Uganda

Summary Evidence shows even low levels of land conflict may undermine land governance and management, constrain agricultural productivity, and serve to perpetuate civil violence. This study estimates the effect of conflict-related displacement experiences on gender-differentiated land outcomes in Northern Uganda. We exploit exogenous variation in displacement to identify impacts on land among returning households. Results indicate that although female-headed households are disadvantaged in land outcomes, and land outcomes are affected by displacement experience, there is no joint effect in determining post-conflict land outcomes. Policy and programmatic attention to gender in land governance in Uganda should continue to be emphasized.
Decision Making in Today's Schools: Who Is Involved?

The writers cite the results of a nationwide survey to determine the extent to which the various school pub lics are involved in school decision making.
Neoplastic iliopsoas masses in oncology patients: CT findings

The aim of this study is to evaluate the imaging features of neoplastic iliopsoas masses detected on abdominal CT and determine the association with other metastatic sites in the abdomen. Thirty-three patients with a neoplastic mass detected in the iliopsoas muscles on a CT were included in this study. The CT were evaluated for imaging features of the focal psoas lesion and for the presence of additional metastatic disease in the abdomen. All 33 patients had a history of primary neoplasm. The most common primary neoplasms were renal in five, melanoma in four, lung in three, pharyngeal in three, colorectal in two, ovarian in two and other neoplasms in 14 patients. Although the majority of the iliopsoas masses were of lower density than the muscle, four patients had a mass with hyperdense ring and four other patients had a uniformly hyperdense mass on contrast enhanced CT. Eight (24%) patients had gluteal muscle metastases and 6 (18%) had subcutaneous metastases. Secondary iliopsoas neoplasms are most commonly hypodense lesions and are most commonly due to primary neoplasm from renal, lung, pharyngeal, ovarian, colorectal neoplasm and melanoma. The detection of an iliopsoas mass warrants a careful search for gluteal muscles and subcutaneous metastases.
Examining locally driven climate change policy efforts in three Pacific states

Local jurisdictions play a critical role in climate change mitigation and adaptation. This study analyzes the theoretical framework of locally driven climate change actions and uses geographic information system (GIS) to map local jurisdictions’ climate change policy efforts in three Pacific states – California, Oregon, and Washington. The results of our study indicate statistically significant differences in geographic clusters and variations across jurisdictions. An Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression model was used to examine climate risk, emission stress, and socioeconomic context variables to detect influence on local climate change policy efforts. The explanatory results indicate that coastal proximity, population density, vehicles emission, and education variables significantly influence local jurisdictions’ climate change actions. The findings contribute to local organizational decision model research and can help local communities to develop more effective climate change policies.
Convenience Stores: Repeated Use of Some Cache Sites by Clark's Nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana)

Field studies reveal that Clark's nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana) cache thousands of seeds in subterranean caches during the autumn in some years, and laboratory studies have shown that these caches can be recovered with high levels of accuracy. Over the life of a bird, numerous cache recovery cycles may be experienced and many of these may be in the same area. Birds may thus develop strong individual preferences for certain sites. These sites may become more memorable and used preferentially. These sites might also be more vulnerable to theft because of continual reuse. In this study, birds were allowed to cache and recover four times from the same set of potential cache sites in a large experimental room. Three of five birds used some cache sites more often than would be expected by chance. However, these birds did not place more seeds per cache, have higher recovery accuracy, or make more revisits to cache sites previously used. Birds did not create caches earlier in previously used holes until cycle 4, when birds actually cached in used sites significantly sooner than in previously unused ones. Birds neither recovered caches earlier from previously used sites nor made error probes earlier at them. Sites that were repeatedly used for caching were holes that were significantly closer to a centrally located feeder than less frequently used sites. Thus, some birds may develop slight preferences for some locations but these sites are not treated preferentially. Birds appear not to gain the advantages, nor suffer the consequences associated with repeated use of the same sites.
Phenylacetic acid in an anaerobic swine manure digester

The presence of phenylacetic acid (PAA) in an anaerobic swine manure digester was determined by gas chromatography of the butyl ester and confirmed by mass spectroscopy. PAA concentration increased during start-up of a digester and with low carbon, high nitrogen loading. Unlike acetate, propionate and butyrate, the concentration of PAA varied little through the day in a stable digester loaded once per day. The laboratory scale digester was loaded at 4 g of swine manure solids/liter digester volume per day. The retention time and temperature were 15 days and 37°C. PAA is a microbial intermediate which is produced by one group of anaerobic bacteria and converted to methane by other members of the bacterial community in the digester. As such, it may be a useful indicator of the relative metabolic activity of the bacterial groups and thus of the overall stability of the anaerobic process.
Ishi, The Last Yahi

Ishi, The Last Yahi (1992), Jed Riffe and Pamela Roberts (Producers/Directors), Rattlesnake Productions. 57:20 min., color, purchase: 16mm $1,195/video $325; rental: video $75. Also Available in 35 mm. Distributed by University of California extension, Center for Media and Independent learning, 2000 Center Street, Fourth Floor, Berkeley, Ca., 94704; 510-642-0460 (phone), 510-643-9271(fax).
f -electron hybridization and heavy-fermion compounds

Hybridization between f orbitals and non-f ligands on neighboring sites is discussed as the primary mechanism determining the bandwidth and properties of certain Ce and U compounds, including the heavy-fermion metals. The occurrence and systematic variation of heavy-fermion and related behavior in the Periodic Table is interpreted in terms of this hybridization mechanism, with a specific discussion of experimental data for the U${X}_{3}$ compounds. Several experiments are suggested to clarify and extend these ideas.
Phyllodes tumor with lobular carcinoma in situ and liposarcomatous stroma.

SummaryWe describe a patient with a malignant phyllodes tumor with both lobular carcinoma in situ and liposarcomatous stromal differentiation. Although lobular carcinoma in situ and adipose differentiation have been reported as separate features rarely seen in the phyllodes tumor, we are unaware of any cases in which both of these features have been seen within the same tumor. The prognosis for this patient related not only to the malignant stromal component of the tumor but also to her increased risk of developing carcinoma in the remaining breast tissue.
An optimal design of a soaking pit-rolling mill system

While attention in the iron and steel industry has been focused on the study and analysis of the flow of materials through the main productive units (blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling mills), the analysis of this flow through the nonproductive units (the mixer and soaking pits) is generally over looked. These two units would create serious bottle necks in production if their capacities were not properly determined before being installed. This paper considers the soaking-pit/rolling-mill complex as a queueing system in which the soaking pits are viewed as units circulating a cyclic queue, and the rolling mill as the service station. A simulation model representing the pit-mill system is developed:(1) To predict the improvement in the capacity of the system through adding more pits(2) To predict the effect of breakdowns and mainte nance or the shutdown of a pit.Several criteria, including their economic aspects, are used to measure the performance of the system. The optimal capacity of the system is ...
Microstructure characterization of Sm-Fe-Zr melt-spun hard magnetic systems

Several phases were identified in Sm/sub x/-Fe/sub 73/-Zr/sub 27-x/ melt-spun materials by transmission electron microscopy selected area diffraction pattern analysis. Aside from the PuNi/sub 3/-type phase common to materials with high and low Sm content, several other phases are thought to be present in the low coercivity system (x=14), such as Fe/sub 7/Sm and Fe/sub 3/Zr. >
Thermogravimetric study of the decomposition of pelletized cellulose at 315°C–800°C

Abstract The thermal decomposition rate of pelletized cellulose cylinders in a laboratory furnace was studied to simulate the pyrolytic and combustive behavior of pelletized refuse-derived fuel (RDF). The decomposition rate was determined by measuring the mass-loss rate of three mass groups of cylinders at several fixed furnace temperatures over the range of 315°C–800°C and in both air and nitrogen atmospheres. The decomposition for all conditions tended to follow first-order reaction kinetics throughout the majority of the reaction and the rate of mass loss for cylinders in atmospheres of flowing air and nitrogen was found to be similar. The apparent Arrhenius activation energy ranged throughout the major course of the decomposition from 2.1 to 8.0 kcal/mol. A simple model is developed to describe the rate of weight loss. This study with cellulose cylinders as a model system aids the use of pelletized refuse-derived fuel (RDF) by providing information on the rate of fuel reaction in varying pyrolytic and combustive conditions.
Working with African American Women to Develop a Cancer Literacy Assessment Tool

Abstract Background. Although African American women have a lower incidence of breast cancer, they suffer a 30% higher age-adjusted mortality. Lower health literacy levels diminish women's ability to engage in cancer prevention and detection activities. Methods. We conducted a focus group with lay health workers, following their completion of structured literacy assessments. Results. The women's performance established the feasibility and acceptability of incorporating literacy assessments. However, the findings identified perceived limits in existing measures and identified attributes that should be included in cancer-focused literacy assessments. Conclusions. A cancer-specific literacy assessment could assist community health workers in measuring women's functional cancer literacy. J Cancer Educ. 2007;22:241–244.
INDEXED BONDS AND HETEROGENEOUS AGENTS

The widespread belief that one can read off the public's expectations of inflation from the yield differential between indexed and conventional bonds ignores the fact that indexed bonds are held largely by those who expect the most inflation. However, holding indexed bonds as a hedge against inflation implies that such bonds have the advantage of being a relatively cheap source of funds.