cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamical Structure of Extreme Floods in the U.S. Midwest and the United Kingdom

AbstractTwenty extreme spring floods that occurred in the Ohio basin between 1901 and 2008, identified from daily river discharge data, are investigated and compared to the April 2011 Ohio River flood event. Composites of synoptic fields for the flood events show that all of these floods are associated with a similar pattern of sustained advection of low-level moisture and warm air from the tropical Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The typical flow conditions are governed by an anomalous semistationary ridge, situated east of the U.S. East Coast, that steers the moisture and converges it into the Ohio River valley. Significantly, the moisture path common to all of the 20 cases studied here as well as the case of April 2011 is distinctly different from the normal path of Atlantic moisture during spring, which occurs farther west. It is shown further that the Ohio basin moisture convergence responsible for the floods is caused primarily by the atmospheric circulation anomaly advecting the climatologic...
Radiation Therapy of Pelvic Recurrence after Radical Hysterectomy for Cervical Carcinoma

Abstract Objectives. To evaluate the efficacy of radiation therapy and potential prognostic factors in patients treated for pelvic recurrence of cervical carcinoma after radical hysterectomy. Materials. The records of 50 patients treated between 1964 and 1994 for an isolated pelvic recurrence of cervical carcinoma a median of 10.5 months after initial radical hysterectomy were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were categorized according to the extent of disease on clinical examination as group 1, mucosal involvement only (5); group 2, paravaginal extension (11); group 3, central recurrence with pelvic wall extension (13); and group 4, recurrences limited to the pelvic sidewall (21). Seven patients with group 3 or 4 disease who had a poor performance status were treated with palliative intent using hypofractionated radiotherapy. The remaining 43 patients were treated with curative intent, 33 with radiotherapy only and 10 with a combination of cisplatin-based chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Survival rates were calculated from the date of initial recurrence. Median follow-up of surviving patients was 109 months. Results. The overall 5-year survival rate was 33% for all 50 patients (median survival, 18 months), 39% for the 43 patients treated with curative intent, and 25% for patients with isolated sidewall recurrences treated with curative intent. The survival rate was 69% for patients with group 1 and 2 disease and 18% for those treated with curative intent for group 3 disease ( P = 0.07). The survival rate was better for patients with recurrent squamous carcinomas (51%) than for those with adenocarcinomas (14%) ( P = 0.05). Three group 4 patients who survived more than 5 years were treated with external-beam radiation alone. Eight-one percent of patients who had a second recurrence had evidence of disease progression. Three patients experienced late treatment complications. Conclusions. Patients who experience an isolated recurrence of cervical cancer after initial radical hysterectomy have an excellent prognosis if disease does not involve the pelvic wall. Occasional long-term survivors of recurrent disease involving the pelvic wall justify an aggressive treatment approach.
Factor Structure of Beliefs about Time among African-American College Students

Between 333 African-American college students and the norming sample of 403 college students differences in the factor structure of beliefs about time as assessed by the Temporal Inventory on Meani...
Carbon Isotope Discrimination of Three Kentucky Bluegrass Cultivars with Contrasting Salinity Tolerance

We evaluated leaf C isotope discrimination as affected by salinity among three Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) cultivars that differ in their salt tolerance. 'Moonlight', 'Northstar', and 'P-105' Kentucky bluegrass (KBG) were grown in solution culture and exposed to salinity levels of 2.0, 5.0, 8.0, 11.0, and 14.0 dS m -1 for 12 wk. All cultivars exhibited increased leaf firing with increasing salinity. However, Moonlight and NorthStar exhibited less leaf firing than P105 at all salinity levels. The salinity levels that caused 25% shoot growth reduction were 4.9 dS m -1 for NorthStar and Moonlight and 4.1 dS m -1 for P105, indicating that Moonlight and NorthStar have better salinity tolerance than P105. When salinity level was in the range of 2.0 to 8.0 dS m -1 , Moonlight produced 1.9-ford more root mass than NorthStar, and NorthStar exhibited 3.9-fold more root mass than P105. When salinity exceeded 8.0 dS m -1 , NorthStar had similar root mass as Moonlight, and both showed greater root mass than P105. Cultivar P105 had a higher C isotope discrimination (Δ) than Moonlight and NorthStar under nonsaline conditions (<2 dS m -1 ) but a lower A than Moonlight and NorthStar at 11.0 dS m -1 salinity. The great reduction in Δ of P105 as salinity increased suggests that salinity induced a greater degree of stomatal resistance that provided less opportunity for discrimination against the heavier isotope. Carbon isotope discrimination may serve as a useful selection criterion in breeding efforts to develop salt tolerant KBG.
Quantitative Trait Loci Analysis Using a Bayesian Framework

Quantitative trait loci mapping is a growing field in genetic statistics. However, dealing with this type of data from a statistical perspective is often perilous. This work considers a model selection approach to quantitative trait loci analysis of the Arabidopsis Bay-O by Shahdara using a Bayesian framework, Markov Chain Monte Carlo method composition. The efficacy of this technique is demonstrated on simulated data of 158 Arabidopsis Bay-O by Shahdara recombinant inbred lines. A simulation study is employed to study the correct classification, false positive and false negative rates of the method. This was performed for a single chromosome and a three chromosome setting. The results show a high correct classification rate with a low false negative rate and a moderate false positive rate. The results of this work demonstrate the robustness of this algorithm for quantitative trait loci analysis.
Oxytocin stimulates prostaglandin F2α secretion from porcine endometrial cells through activation of calcium-dependent protein kinase C☆☆

The mechanism for oxytocin’s (OT) stimulation of PGF2α secretion from porcine endometrium is not clear, but is thought to involve mobilization of intracellular Ca2+ and subsequent activation of protein kinase C (PKC). This study determined: (1) if mobilization of inositol trisphosphate-sensitive Ca2+ by thapsigargin or activation of PKC by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) could stimulate PGF2α release from luminal epithelial, glandular epithelial and stromal cells of porcine endometrium and (2) if inhibitors of various PKC isotypes could attenuate the ability of OT, thapsigargin and PMA to stimulate PGF2α secretion from these cells. Thapsigargin and PMA each stimulated (P < 0.01) PGF2α secretion from all three endometrial cell types examined. However, the effects of thapsigargin and PMA were synergistic (P < 0.05) only in stromal cells. Three protein kinase C inhibitors (i.e. Go6976, Go6983 and Ro-31-8220) differentially attenuated (P < 0.05) the ability of OT, thapsigargin and PMA to stimulate PGF2α release. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that OT mobilizes Ca2+ to activate a Ca2+-dependent PKC pathway to promote PGF2α secretion from porcine endometrial cells. The differing pattern of response to isotype-specific inhibitors of PKC among cell types suggests that distinct PKC isoforms are differentially expressed in luminal epithelial, glandular epithelial and stromal cells.
Product variety and vertical differentiation in a batch production system

Abstract We develop an integrated modeling framework to study a monopolist firm's decisions of product variety and related production batch planning for vertically differentiated products along design quality attributes. Customers are heterogeneous in their marginal valuations of the product quality level and make their purchase decisions to maximize a utility function of price and quality. Our key insight is the firm's optimal number of product variants is determined by a parameter which is a function of market size and operations-related costs such as setup and inventory holding costs. The parameter can be interpreted as the relative cost of production technology. Less expensive production technology provides the firm opportunities to produce more product variants. More expensive production technology results in less product variety, lower product quality, and less total market coverage (i.e., percentage of the covered market). Our result indicates that producing product variety is always beneficial for a given production technology as long as each customer segment generates nonzero profit. In addition, the firm's access to the customers' preference information can increase profitability via higher quality levels and increased market coverage.
Effect of an Al interlayer on the GaAs/Ge(100) heterojunction formation

The chemistry, structure, and growth kinetics of epitaxial GaAs/Ge heterojunctions are controllably modified using an Al interlayer of one to two monolayers in thickness. Photoemission spectroscopy is used to investigate the interface formation with and without the Al interlayer. Although the valence-band and core-level spectra indicate dramatic changes of the chemistry and structure caused by the Al (deposited on the substrates both at room temperature and at 340 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C) at the interface, the band-structure lineup is not affected. The Fermi level in the gaps is influenced by both the presence of the Al interlayer and the deposition temperature. The Fermi level moves toward the valence band by 0.15 and 0.3 eV (relative to the GaAs c(4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}4)/Ge degenerate n-type interface) for room-temperature and 340 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C deposition, respectively. The Fermi-level position is simply related to the amount of As diffusion into the Ge layer and its role as an n-type dopant. The results support the conclusion that the band offset is primarily an intrinsic (bulk) property which is insensitive to interfacial charge distribution or chemistry to within \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05 eV.
Method for altering intraruminal temperature in cattle.

Abstract A method is described for altering intraruminal temperature in cattle. Heat transfer is accomplished by circulating water through an intraruminal tube of coiled stainless steel. Water temperature can be regulated within ± 0.5 C over a range of 10 to 50 C. Rumen temperatures between 33.5 and 43.7 C have been achieved.
Hippocampal surface discrimination via invariant descriptors of spherical conformals maps

Weighted spherical harmonic shape descriptors are based on the subspaces of L2 (S2) spanned by spherical harmonics of a single degree. Such shape descriptors incorporate both shape and scaling information, while preserving invariance with respect to other non-reflexive affine transformations. Thus, their application allows for direct comparison of shapes across subjects, resolutions and within-subject components. On the other hand, global conformal parametrization preserves intrinsic conformal structure and thus allows for vast differences in object scaling on the 2-sphere. As a result, surface energy is distributed more evenly across the spherical harmonic spectrum, with the higher resolution descriptors representing regions with higher conformal factor. We applied our morphometry to 96 hippocampal surfaces. The data used were 12 control and 12 Alzheimer (AD) T1 and T2 subjects. An independent-samples t-test revealed significant differences for the change in hemispheric shape difference in shape descriptors of degrees 3, 20, 22, 25 and 27, with the highest p-value of .001, t = 4.019, predicting 22 out of 24 subjects' diagnosis correctly
Influence of storage time and temperature on in vitro digestion of neutral detergent fibre at 48 h, and comparison to 48 h in sacco neutral detergent fibre digestion

Abstract The effect of within-day delays of 0.5, 2.5, 4.5 and 6.5 h between collection of rumen fluid from a cow and initiation of in vitro fermentation, as well as storage of rumen fluid for 48 h at either −24°C or 6, 22 and 39°C, on in vitro digestion of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) at 48 h was determined. In addition, the 48 h in vitro digestion of NDF, determined with a minimum time delay (i.e., 0.5 h) between collection from the cow and initiation of incubation, was compared to NDF digestion determined in sacco at 48 h. Rumen inoculum from a single cow was utilized in a thrice replicated incubation with whole crop alfalfa, corn, cereal and sudangrass forages of a lower and higher quality. The same cow was used as the host for the in sacco bags. The in vitro procedure used a bulk procedure with 5.0 cm × 5.5 cm multi-weave polyethylene polyester polymer bags that retained particles of 25 mm and larger. The in sacco procedure used the same bags retained in a large mesh bag. A within-day time delay of up to 6.5 h between collection of rumen fluid from the cow and initiation of in vitro fermentation had no impact on measured 48 h in vitro digestion of NDF. In contrast, no temperature dependent storage procedure maintained 48 h in vitro digestion of NDF at levels determined with no 48 h storage, although high quality alfalfa was least affected by any storage procedure. The 48 h in vitro digestion of NDF, determined using the minimum time delay between collection from the cow and initiation of the incubation, was higher than values obtained in sacco. Results show that this bulk in vitro procedure resulted in higher 48 h digestion of NDF than those determined with a similar in sacco procedure, thereby suggesting that laboratories located some distance from the donor animal can utilize in vitro procedures to accurately estimate 48 h digestion of NDF. However, storage of rumen fluid for 48 h, by any temperature dependent procedure examined, in order to facilitate fewer trips to the donor animal, or trips of substantially longer duration, will underestimate 48 h digestion of NDF to an extent that depends upon the forage incubated.
Stearoyl-acyl carrier protein delta 9 desaturase from Ricinus communis is a diiron-oxo protein.

Abstract A gene encoding stearoyl-acyl carrier protein delta 9 desaturase (EC 1.14.99.6) from castor was expressed in Escherichia coli. The purified catalytically active enzyme contained four atoms of iron per homodimer. The desaturase was studied in two oxidation states with Mossbauer spectroscopy in applied fields up to 6.0 T. These studies show conclusively that the oxidized enzyme contains two (identical) clusters consisting of a pair of antiferromagnetically coupled (J > 60 cm-1, H = JS1.S2) Fe3+ sites. The diferric cluster exhibited absorption bands from 300 to 355 nm; addition of azide elicited a charge transfer band at 450 nm. In the presence of dithionite, the clusters were reduced to the diferrous state. Addition of stearoyl-CoA and O2 returned the clusters to the diferric state. These properties are consistent with assigning the desaturase to the class of O2-activating proteins containing diiron-oxo clusters, most notably ribonucleotide reductase and methane monooxygenase hydroxylase. Comparison of the primary structures for these three catalytically diverse proteins revealed a conserved pair of the amino acid sequence -(Asp/Glu)-Glu-Xaa-Arg-His- separated by approximately 100 amino acids. Since each of these proteins can catalyze O2-dependent cleavage of unactivated C--H bonds, we propose that these amino acid sequences represent a biological motif used for the creation of reactive catalytic intermediates. Thus, eukaryotic fatty acid desaturation may proceed via enzymatic generation of a high-valent iron-oxo species derived from the diiron cluster.
The effect of fentanyl, sufentanil, and alfentanil on cerebral arterioles in piglets

The effect of fentanyl, sufentanil, and alfentanil on cerebral arterioles was determined in 17 halothane-anesthetized newborn piglets. A closed cranial window was inserted over the parietal cortex, and changes in the luminal diameter of pial arterioles were measured by intravital microscopy as increasing concentrations of opioid (10(-9)-10(-5) M) were suffused over the cortical surface. Each opioid caused a dose-dependent decrease in arteriolar diameter that was attenuated by coadministration of naloxone (10(-5) M). Fentanyl was more potent than either alfentanil or sufentanil. Naloxone alone had no effect at concentrations < or = 10(-5) M, suggesting that endogenous opioids contribute little to resting cerebrovascular tone. These results indicate that fentanyl, sufentanil, and alfentanil produce cerebral vasoconstriction by action at an opioid receptor and that their vasoconstrictive potency appears to differ from their analgesic potency.
Nationhood and the minority question in Central Asia. The Russians in Kazakhstan

Abstract This article aims to present the situation of the Russian minority in Kazakhstan and to stress the political, social and identity evolutions in this country since independence in 1991. It develops three main points: the non-homogeneous nature of Russians in Kazakhstan; the development of non-ethnic allegiances that could explain the failure of the local Russian political parties; and the difficulties the leaders have in choosing between the defence of the political rights and the cultural rights of the country's first minority. In order to examine these issues, this article focuses on a series of issues: the place of the national question in the Kazakh public debate; the process of linguistic and ethnic Kazakhisation; the political activities of the Russian minority; the Cossack issue and the stakes of autonomist claims; and, finally, the issue of emigration and the narrative of the ‘return’ to Russia.
Snap2Diverse: coordinating information visualizations and virtual environments

The field of Information Visualization is concerned with improving with how users perceive, understand, and interact with visual representations of data sets. Immersive Virtual Environments (VEs) excel at providing researchers and designers a greater comprehension of the spatial features and relations of their data, models, and scenes. This project addresses the intersection of these two fields where information is visualized in a virtual environment. Specifically we are interested in visualizing abstract information in relation to spatial information in the context of a virtual environment. We describe a set of design issues for this type of integrated visualization and demonstrate a coordinated, multiple-views system supporting 2D and 3D visualization tasks such as overview, navigation, details-on-demand, and brushing-and-linking selection. Software architecture issues are discussed with details of our implementation applied to the domain of chemical information and visualization. Lastly, we subject our system to an informal usability evaluation and identify usability issues with interaction and navigation that may guide future work in these situations.
Diffusing capacity predicts operative mortality but not long-term survival after resection for lung cancer.

Abstract Objectives: We sought to determine whether diffusing capacity influences operative mortality and long-term survival after resection for lung cancer. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the case histories of patients who underwent major resection for lung cancer. The association between operative mortality and predicted postoperative diffusing capacity was examined. Long-term survival among operative survivors was compared between the groups with high and low predicted postoperative diffusing capacity. Results: The group comprised 410 patients with a mean age of 62.3 years. We performed 273 lobectomies, 35 bilobectomies, and 102 pneumonectomies. A total of 32 operative deaths (7.8%) were associated with low predicted postoperative diffusing capacity ( P P > .5 for each). On the basis of the Cox proportional hazards model, predicted postoperative diffusing capacity did not have a statistically significant effect on long-term survival (estimated hazard ratio corresponding to a 20-point decrease in predicted postoperative diffusing capacity = 1.13; 95% confidence interval: 0.92 to 1.37). Conclusion: A poor diffusing capacity is associated with high operative mortality but does not adversely affect long-term survival after major lung resection among operative survivors. Improving the perioperative management of patients undergoing major lung resection may enable inclusion of more patients with reduced diffusing capacity in the candidate pool for surgery, thus maximizing survival for early-stage lung cancer. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1999;117:581-7)
Agarose drop method for loading thin polyacrylamide gels.

The gels (<1 mm) can be loaded conveniently, rapidly, and quantitatively by suspending the sample to be analyzed in a drop of agarose gel and simply placing the solidified drop on top of the stacking gel. With this method there is no lower limit to the size of the sample to be loaded or to the thinness of the gel to be employed. Using the silver stain quantitation of between 1 and 1000 ng/sample is easily achieved.
Low back pain in the emergency department-are the ACR Appropriateness Criteria being followed?

Abstract Purpose To assess the prevalence of appropriate imaging among emergency department (ED) patients with low back pain. Methods Our level-1 ED records were retrospectively searched for patients with a chief compliant of "low back pain" from January to April 2013. Of 624 patients, 100 were randomly selected and analyzed for their demographics, presentation, imaging, treatment, and outcomes. The study indication for imaging was compared with the ACR Appropriateness Criteria, and the indication was deemed appropriate if it received a rating of ≥5 . Results The mean age of the study population was 48 years (50% women, 50% men). The majority presented with acute or acute on chronic low back pain (94 patients), and half had a precipitating event (50 patients). A total of 28 (28%) patients underwent imaging in the ED; 24 (24%) had outpatient imaging; 54 (54%) had neither ED nor outpatient imaging. In all, 96% (27 of 28) of patients imaged in the ED, and 96% (23 of 24) imaged as outpatients, were appropriately imaged. Of patients who did not undergo imaging, 96% (52 of 54) were appropriately not imaged. A total of 76 patients (76%) had follow-up after discharge: of these, 42 (55%) had resolution or return of pain to baseline with conservative management; 18 (24%) had improvement with intervention (epidural steroid injection or kyphoplasty); 8 (10%) improved with surgery; and 8 had persistent pain (11%). Conclusions The majority of patients presenting to the ED with low back pain did not undergo imaging. The vast majority of those who underwent imaging were appropriately imaged, based on the ACR Appropriateness Criteria.
How virtual reality works: illusions of vision in real and virtual environments

Visual illusions abound in normal vision--illusions of clarity and completeness, of continuity in time and space, of presence and vivacity--and are part and parcel of the visual world inwhich we live. These illusions are discussed in terms of the human visual system, with its high- resolution fovea, moved from point to point in the visual scene by rapid saccadic eye movements (EMs). This sampling of visual information is supplemented by a low-resolution, wide peripheral field of view, especially sensitive to motion. Cognitive-spatial models controlling perception, imagery, and 'seeing,' also control the EMs that shift the fovea in the Scanpath mode. These illusions provide for presence, the sense off being within an environment. They equally well lead to 'Telepresence,' the sense of being within a virtual display, especially if the operator is intensely interacting within an eye-hand and head-eye human-machine interface that provides for congruent visual and motor frames of reference. Interaction, immersion, and interest compel telepresence; intuitive functioning and engineered information flows can optimize human adaptation to the artificial new world of virtual reality, as virtual reality expands into entertainment, simulation, telerobotics, and scientific visualization and other professional work.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Dendritic growth with thermal convection

Abstract Dendritic growth is inherently nonlinear and three-dimensional, and thermal convection, no matter how weak, always accompanies it and is counter-intuitive in nature because convection becomes more important as the driving force for it decreases. Moving boundary solutions of the nonlinear Navier-Stokes and energy equations are given which describe the three-dimensional axisymmetric growth of a shape preserving isothermal parabolic dendritic tip. New theoretical results show that the tip radius is the proper length scale if one includes the nonlinear interaction between fluid flow and energy transfer. Predicted values of growth velocity and tip radius are in good agreement with experiments over the entire range of available experimental data. It is shown that the Grashof number, which arises as a new parameter and enables one to compare theory with experiments without ad hoc hypotheses, increases as one decreases the subcooling, and convection becomes increasingly important in succinonitrile experiments as the subcooling is decreased below 1.65 K. The approximate analogy between thermal and forced convection, Gr = Re2, is useful only when thermal convection is weak. It overpredicts the growth velocity and underpredicts the tip radius with increasing error as the intensity of thermal convection increases.
Projected animal preferences in incarcerated and nonincarcerated men.

Consistent with Bender and Rapoport's suggestion and clinical experience, the present study of 93 inmates and 106 college men supports that the wish for freedom, to “take flight,” may be symbolized in projective material by a bird.
Constructive non-regularized geometry

Abstract Solid modelling is concerned with the construction and manipulation of unambiguous computer representations of solid objects. These representations permit us to distinguish the interior, the boundary and the complement of a solid. They are conveniently specified in Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG) by a construction tree that has solid primitives as leaves and rigid body motions or regularized Boolean operations as internal nodes. Algoriths for classifying sets with respect to CSG trees and for evaluating the boundaries of the corresponding solids are known, at least for simple geometric domains. Emerging CAD applications require that we extend the domain of solid modellers to support more general and more structured geometric objects. The focus is on dimensionally non-homogeneous, non-closed pointsets with internal structures. These entities are well suited for dealing with mixed-dimensional (‘non-manifold’) objects in R n that have dangling or missing boundary elements, and that may be composed of several regions. A boundary representation for such objects has been described elsewhere. We propose to specify and represent inhomogeneous objects in terms of Constructive Non-Regularized Geometry (CNRG) trees that extend the domain of CSG by supporting non-regularized primitive shapes as leaves, and by providing more general set-theoretic and topological operators at interior nodes. Filtering operations are also provided that construct CNRG objects from aggregates of selected regions of other CNRG objects. A syntax and semantics of the operators in CNRG are presented, and some basic algorithms for classifying pointsets with respect to the regions of objects represented by CNRG trees are outlined.
Region-shrinking: A hybrid segmentation technique for isolating continuous features, the case of oceanic eddy detection

Abstract In remote sensing image analysis, limited attention has been devoted to the isolation of fuzzy objects, namely those with inherently indeterminate boundaries, from continuous field data. This study develops a “region-shrinking” segmentation technique tailored specifically to the problem of fuzzy object identification, and applies it to the test case of oceanic eddy detection. The region-shrinking technique employs an evolutionary boundary definition procedure to simultaneously identify segments containing oceanic eddies, and refine the boundaries of these segments to correspond to eddy perimeters. This algorithm combines a Non-Euclidean Voronoi segmentation technique with insights from existing work on eddy detection from an oceanographic perspective, with the goal of improving the detection of eddy features through sea level anomaly imagery. It takes into account multiple criteria (vorticity, size, amplitude, the existence of local sea level extrema, concave or convex shape) to iteratively refine the identification and demarcation of oceanic eddies. The resulting polygons define tightly fitted eddy boundaries, and conform to the key rotational and cross-sectional height profile characteristics used by physical oceanographers to identify eddies.
Elevated Ferritin Is Associated with Relapse after Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Lymphoma

Elevated serum ferritin is associated with reduced survival following allogeneic transplantation and an increased risk of toxic and infectious complications after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT). We studied 315 patients who underwent ASCT for Hodgkin (HL) or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) at our institution in whom pretransplantation ferritin was available to determine its association with survival. On multivariate analysis, a pretransplantation ferritin >685 ng/mL was associated with significantly lower overall (OS; P = .002) and relapse-free survival (RFS; P = .021). Ferritin >685 ng/mL was associated with a higher incidence of relapse (P = .005) and relapse mortality (P
CRT-160 Same Day Discharge After Elective Percutaneous Coronary Interventions: A Single Center Experience in Contrast to the National Average

Patients undergoing elective Percutaneous Coronary Interventions (PCI) are generally observed overnight in the hospitals, mainly because of the fear of the PCI related complications. Prevalence of same day discharge after elective PCI is still very low in the United States (1.5% as quoted in recent
Self-compassion is a better predictor than mindfulness of symptom severity and quality of life in mixed anxiety and depression.

Abstract Mindfulness has received considerable attention as a correlate of psychological well-being and potential mechanism for the success of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). Despite a common emphasis of mindfulness, at least in name, among MBIs, mindfulness proves difficult to assess, warranting consideration of other common components. Self-compassion, an important construct that relates to many of the theoretical and practical components of MBIs, may be an important predictor of psychological health. The present study compared ability of the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) to predict anxiety, depression, worry, and quality of life in a large community sample seeking self-help for anxious distress ( N = 504). Multivariate and univariate analyses showed that self-compassion is a robust predictor of symptom severity and quality of life, accounting for as much as ten times more unique variance in the dependent variables than mindfulness. Of particular predictive utility are the self-judgment and isolation subscales of the SCS. These findings suggest that self-compassion is a robust and important predictor of psychological health that may be an important component of MBIs for anxiety and depression.
Complementary and alternative medicine for psoriasis: A qualitative review of the clinical trial literature

Background Patients with psoriasis often inquire about complementary and alternative medicine in an effort to do everything possible to control the disease. Objective We sought to review the clinical trial literature regarding complementary and alternative medicine for the treatment of psoriasis. Methods We conducted qualitative systematic review of randomized, clinical trials. Results Although many randomized controlled trials were found, both the results and the quality of the studies varied. Limitations The main limitations were the relatively low quality of studies (as assessed by Jadad scores), lack of inclusion of unpublished studies, and the fact that only one author determined inclusion of studies and assignment of Jadad scores. Conclusion There is a large body of literature in regard to complementary and alternative medicine for the treatment of psoriasis. More work is necessary before these modalities should be recommended to our patients.
JAAD dermoscopy case of the month series.

T he ‘‘big bang’’ for modern-day dermoscopy began in 1987 with 2 articles outlining the dermoscopic patterns of pigmented skin lesions published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD). Since the publication of these seminal papers, there has been an explosion of over 3000 articles and book chapters containing ever-expanding information illuminating the dermoscopic morphology of not only pigmented skin lesions and skin cancers, but also for a host of other conditions including amelanotic lesions, inflammatory conditions, infections and infestations, hair disorders, and mucosal and nail lesions. In addition, dermoscopy has provided insights into the biology of lesions and has altered and improved management strategies for a myriad of dermatologic conditions. Although improvements in diagnostic accuracy afforded by dermoscopy have translated into the earlier detection of skin cancer, it has also helped reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies of benign lesions, which translates into a lowering of the benign-to-malignant biopsy ratio. There remains no doubt that this simple handheld looking glass has had a tremendous impact on how we evaluate skin lesions. For example, it has revolutionized the way clinicians inspect and think about melanocytic neoplasms. It has impacted our understanding of the varied morphologies of melanoma, and their growth patterns and biology; influenced our thoughts about nevi; and changed our views about nevogenesis. Although dermoscopy
Treatment of Central Venous Catheter Occlusions With Ethanol and Hydrochloric Acid

Background: Occluded central venous lines (CVLs) is a major problem in pediatric patients. Methods: To relieve obstructed catheters, infusions of ethanol (up to 3 mL of a 70% solution) for presumed lipid occlusions and hydrochloric acid (HCl, 0.1 N, up to 3 mL) for presumed mineral and drug precipitates were given in an attempt to relieve obstructed catheters. Results: Patency was restored in 34 of 39 occluded catheters over an 18-month period. Conclusions: Clearing occluded CVLs with ethanol and HCl is not only beneficial to the patient but also offers considerable cost savings compared to CVL replacement. (Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition19:416-418, 1995)
Accurate characterization of ofloxacin susceptibility with Enterobacteriaceae using a modified GNS F6 card and the bioMerieux Vitek System

Routine antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Enterobacteriaceae using the Vitek System (bioMerieux Vitek, Hazelwood, MO) and the GNS-F6 card revealed discrepancies between the activity of ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin, primarily with isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Specifically, during a one-year period, 12% of 618 ciprofloxacin-susceptible isolates were determined to be ofloxacin resistant with the GNS-F6 card. A similar problem, but one of lower magnitude, was observed with Serratia marsescens. That these represented false ofloxacin resistance results was confirmed by comparison of broth microdilution determinations of ofloxacin MICs with F6 results on a collection of 203 fresh clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae and 39 isolates of S. marsescens. The GNS-F6 card was then modified by the manufacturer to include a new formulation of ofloxacin and assessed using a collection of 224 recent clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and 78 stock cultures of enteric Gram-negative bacilli selected specifically because of disproportionately high rates of fluoroquinolone resistance. No ofloxacin false resistant results were observed with this collection when the modified GNS-F6 card was evaluated in comparison to a standardized broth microdilution MIC test. The current clinical version of the Vitek System appears to accurately assess ofloxacin susceptibility.
Retrospective Analysis of Birth Weight and Prostate Cancer in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study

The authors retrospectively evaluated the relation between birth weight and prostate cancer (1986-1994) among 21,140 men of the Health Professionals Follow-up Study who reported in 1994 their weight at birth. No relation between birth weight and prostate cancer (n=545) was observed in multivariate logistic models. For high stage/grade tumors (n=213), compared with birth weights or = 10 lbs (> or = 4,536 g). These findings do not support an overall association between birth weight and prostate cancer incidence, but the possibility of a modest positive association between birth weight and high stage/grade prostatic cancer cannot be excluded.
Post-Transplantation Lymphoproliferative Disorder in the Renal Transplant Ureter

A 62-year-old white man with renal failure secondary to polycystic kidney disease received a cadaveric kidney from a 2 DR-matched, 14-year-old boy by end-to-side vascular and Lich ureteroneocystostomy anastomotic techniques in February 1993. Immunosuppression was induced intravenously with 3 mg.kg. cyclosporine, and corticosteroids tapering from 500 to 30 mg. by day 7. Because the donor tested positive for cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus, the recipient was treated with 200 mg. acyclovir orally 4 times daily for 3 months for prophylaxis. Only the Epstein-Bam virus IgG titer was positive (1:640) in the recipient. After a convalescence free of rejection episodes or clinical infections the recipient presented 3 months postoperatively with serum creatinine increased to 4.9 mg./dl. from a nadir of 1.5 mg./dl. (normal 0.5 to 1.4) in the absence of lymphadenopathy, organomegaly, fever, night sweats or weight loss, and while receiving 20 mg. prednisone and 7 mg./kg. cyclosporine daily. Cyclosporine trough levels measured by selective antibody fluorescence polarization immunoassay ranged from 300 to 400 ng./ml. Ultrasound showed hydronephrosis and an antegrade nephrostogram demonstrated distal ureteral stenosis (fig. 1). Percutaneous renal biopsy revealed borderline acute cellular rejection (Banff classification). End-to-side ureteroureterostomy was performed. Histopathological evaluation showed atypical B-cell lymphocytes (nonHodgkin's lymphoma) in the resected 4 cm. distal ureteral segment (fig. 2). Serum electrophoresis revealed a monoclonal IgG kappa protein spike. Polymerase chain reactions demonstrated rearrangement of the immunoglobulin heavy chain genes. In situ deoxyribonucleic acid hybridization showed Epstein-Barr virus. Bone marrow biopsy, chest x-ray, and abdominal, pelvic and brain computerized tomography were negative. Cyclosporine was decreased to 5 mg./ kg. daily and prednisone was decreased to 10 mg. daily. At discharge home serum creatinine was 2.2 mg./dl. At 19 months serial computerized tomography is negative and serum creatinine is 2.9 mg./dl. In conclusion, in contrast to 2 previously reported cases of polyclonal lymphoma of a transplanted ureter2 and lymphoma in the renal h i l ~ r n , ~ our case represents a monoclonal neoplasm.
Modeling and Experimental Validation of DNA Motion During Electrophoresis

This paper describes the protocol and presents the results for DNA motion experiments using fabricated macroscale gel electrophoresis devices. Gel electrophoresis is a process used to separate/move DNA, RNA or protein molecules using an electric field through a gel matrix (electrolytic solution). In electrolytic solutions, the current conduction is due to a transport of ions (anions and cations). A better understanding of electrophoretic fundamentals allows for modeling the motion of DNA during electrophoresis. The model is validated through comparison with the experimental results. The model and experimental validation will be used to improve the process of cellular nanoinjection of DNA, currently in development in our lab.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Hypnosis and sociogenetic influences in human development

Abstract This paper revisits the too-long-overlooked relation between hypnosis and human development, aiming to understand hidden, yet powerful sociogenetic processes in development that are exposed in hypnosis. Hypnosis, as a process of interpersonal exchange, not only provides empirical evidence that such factors can dramatically influence intramental functioning, it also affords a glimpse of how such influences occur. Hypnosis results from common sociopsychological and interpersonal processes organized in ways that mimic key, essential features of child–caregiver involvements: interpersonal, asymmetric relationships of shared mentation for common purposes. Within these relationships of organic attunement, in both hypnosis and development, authoritative procedural directives become internalized without awareness. Hypnotic transformations of perceptions, memory, beliefs, anticipations, and behavior reveal just how powerful these relationships can be. And while the effects of hypnosis may startle, the magnitude and reach of the effects are precisely what development requires: organizing body and mind within the web of sociocultural meanings, values, and expectations.
CRUISING IN SMALL ISLAND ECONOMIES: THE CASE OF THE BAHAMAS AND BERMUDA

(1992). CRUISING IN SMALL ISLAND ECONOMIES: THE CASE OF THE BAHAMAS AND BERMUDA. Impact Assessment: Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 23-32.
Introducing Emergent Loose Modules into the Learning Process of a Linear Genetic Programming System

Modularity and building blocks have drawn attention from the Genetic Programming (GP) community for a long time. The results are usually twofold: a hierarchical evolution with adequate building block reuse can accelerate the learning process, but rigidly defined and excessively employed modules may also counteract the expected advantages by confining the reachable search space. In this work, we introduce the concept of emergent loose modules based on a new linear GP system, Prefix Gene Expression Programming (P-GEP), in an attempt to balance between the stochastic exploration and the hierarchical construction for the optimal solutions. Emergent loose modules are dynamically produced by the evolution, and are reusable as sub-functions in later generations. The proposed technique is fully illustrated with a simple symbolic regression problem. The initial experimental results suggest it is a flexible approach in identifying the evolved regularity and the emergent loose modules are critical in composing the best solutions.
On-the-shelf core pattern methodology for ColdFire(R) microprocessor cores

This paper describes how pattern sets are chosen and put on-the-shelf for ColdFire hard microprocessor cores. Some considerations are the frequency of the pattern set, the number of each type of pattern set needed and the format in which the patterns are saved. These decisions must be made without the knowledge of restrictions that will be on the device in which the core will be embedded. Restrictions such as the tester frequency and memory limitations, the pad frequency limitations and the package pin and power limitations are discussed. The pattern set must be flexible enough to address many of these issues "on the fly". How the pattern set is chosen for the hard core and how it is made flexible are the challenges addressed in this paper.
Treatment of Acute Fractures with a Collagen-Calcium Phosphate Graft Material. A Randomized Clinical Trial*†

A prospective, randomized clinical trial was conducted concurrently at eighteen medical centers in order to compare the safety and efficacy of two types of graft material for the treatment of fractures of long bones: autogenous bone graft obtained from the iliac crest, and a composite material composed of purified bovine collagen, a biphasic calcium-phosphate ceramic, and autogenous marrow. Two hundred and thirteen patients (249 fractures) were followed for a minimum of twenty-four months to monitor healing and the occurrence of complications. We observed no significant differences between the two treatment groups with respect to rates of union (p = 0.94, power = 88 per cent) or functional measures (use of analgesics, pain with activities of daily living, and impairment in activities of daily living; p > 0.10). The prevalence of complications did not differ between the treatment groups except for the rate of infection, which was higher in the patients who were managed with an autogenous graft. Twelve patients who were managed with a synthetic graft had a positive antibody titer to bovine collagen; seven of them agreed to have intradermal challenge with bovine collagen. One patient had a positive skin response to the challenge but had no complications with regard to healing of the fracture. We concluded that, for traumatic defects of long bones that necessitate grafting, use of the composite graft material appears to be justified on the grounds of safety, efficacy, and elimination of the increased operative time and risk involved in obtaining an autogenous graft from the iliac crest.
Tracking down the origin of arc plasma science I. Early pulsed and oscillating discharges

The early development of arc plasma physics is closely related to the development of suitable sources of electrical energy. The harnessing of electrostatic charge in Leyden jars (early capacitors) enabled the controlled production of sparks and pulsed arcs. A contemporary introduction to sparks and arcs gives the foundation for critically assessing the early development, when observation and discovery of phenomena were still far from understanding. The modern development of discharge physics can be traced back to the 18th century. Notably, and generally unnoticed by the scientific community until today, Joseph Priestley observed cathode erosion and film deposition of cathode material as early as 1766.
When Light Microscope Resolution Is Not Enough: Correlational Light Microscopy and Electron Microscopy

Notwithstanding the many ways, amply documented elsewhere in this book, in which fluorescent light microscopy can elucidate biological structure and function, there are times when the available spatial resolution is just not sufficient to answer the biological question. Consequently, there is a need to follow up the initial light microscope (LM) findings by subsequently viewing the LM specimens in the transmission or scanning electron microscope (TEM or SEM). Correlative microscopy of this type has a long history. In 1973, shortly after LM stains had been developed that identified T- and B-lymphocytes, Wetzel viewed the same exact cells, first in the LM and then in the SEM to show that being a T or a B cell bears no relation to whether the cells appeared to be “rough” or “smooth” when viewed in the SEM (Wetzel et al., 1973.
The symmetric convolution approach to the nonexpansive implementations of FIR filter banks for images

The authors describe symmetric convolution and its use for the nonexpansive implementation of multirate filter banks for images. Symmetric convolution is a formalized approach to convolving symmetric FIR (finite impulse response) filters with symmetrically extended data. It is efficient because the discrete sine and cosine transforms can be used to perform the convolution as a transform-domain multiplication. The authors explain how to use symmetric convolution to implement a multiband filter bank for finite-length data that restricts the number of samples in the subbands but still gives perfect reconstruction. >