cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prognosis of patients with diabetes mellitus after acute myocardial infarction.

Sixty patients with diabetes mellitus who survived the coronary care unit phase of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were followed an average of 19 months and the prognosis of diabetic patients was compared with that of 719 nondiabetic patients. The mortality rate was 25% in diabetic patients and 8% in nondiabetic patients. These patients had been entered in a Multicenter Postinfarction Program, where analysis of the total data base showed 4 significant prognostic factors: cardiac symptoms before AMI, pulmonary rales when the patient was in the coronary care unit, more than 10 ventricular premature complexes per hour recorded on Holter monitor just before discharge, and a radionuclide ejection fraction of less than 40%. Of these 4 factors, only cardiac symptoms before AMI was significantly more common in diabetic patients (57% in diabetic vs 36% in nondiabetic patients). When each of these 4 factors was stratified for severity, the mortality rate was always higher in diabetic patients. The data were examined to determine other factors in diabetic patients who died. Pulmonary rales was significantly more common in diabetic patients who died (6% in survivors vs 42% in patients who died). In a multivariate analysis of both diabetic and nondiabetic patients, 5 factors were significant determinants of prognosis. They are, in order of entry into the model, rales (p
Epithelial phenotype and the RPE: Is the answer blowing in the Wnt?

Cells of the human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) have a regular epithelial cell shape within the tissue in situ, but for reasons that remain elusive the RPE shows an incomplete and variable ability to re-develop an epithelial phenotype after propagation in vitro. In other epithelial cell cultures, formation of an adherens junction (AJ) composed of E-cadherin plays an important early inductive role in epithelial morphogenesis, but E-cadherin is largely absent from the RPE. In this review, the contribution of cadherins, both minor (E-cadherin) and major (N-cadherin), to RPE phenotype development is discussed. Emphasis is placed on the importance for future studies of actin cytoskeletal remodeling during assembly of the AJ, which in epithelial cells results in an actin organization that is characteristically zonular. Other markers of RPE phenotype that are used to gauge the maturation state of RPE cultures including tissue-specific protein expression, protein polarity, and pigmentation are described. An argument is made that RPE epithelial phenotype, cadherin-based cell–cell adhesion and melanization are linked by a common signaling pathway: the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Analyzing this pathway and its intersecting signaling networks is suggested as a useful framework for dissecting the steps in RPE morphogenesis. Also discussed is the effect of aging on RPE phenotype. Preliminary evidence is provided to suggest that light-induced sub-lethal oxidative stress to cultured ARPE-19 cells impairs organelle motility. Organelle translocation, which is mediated by stress-susceptible cytoskeletal scaffolds, is an essential process in cell phenotype development and retention. The observation of impaired organelle motility therefore raises the possibility that low levels of stress, which are believed to accompany RPE aging, may produce subtle disruptions of cell phenotype. Over time these would be expected to diminish the support functions performed by the RPE on behalf of photoreceptors, theoretically contributing to aging retinal disease such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Analyzing sub-lethal stress that produces declines in RPE functional efficiency rather than overt cell death is suggested as a useful future direction for understanding the effects of age on RPE organization and physiology. As for phenotype and pigmentation, a role for the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is also suggested in regulating the RPE response to oxidative stress. Exploration of this pathway in the RPE therefore may provide a unifying strategy for advancing our understanding of both RPE phenotype and the consequences of mild oxidative stress on RPE structure and function.
Population structure of Rhagoletis mendax , the blueberry maggot

Rhagoletis mendax, the blueberry maggot, is a member of the R. pomonella species complex, well-known as a possible example of sympatric speciation via host race formation. Using electrophoretic data for 16 loci, I have determined that the population structure of R. mendax differs sharply from that of the well-known apple maggot fly, R. pomonella, as follows: (i) geographical differentiation across eastern North America is very small (FST = 0.015 as opposed to FST = 0.220 in R. pomonella), (ii) no latitudinal clines in allele frequencies exist, and (iii) consistent differentiation with respect to individual host plant and host plant species was not seen (although such differentiation could not be studied as effectively in R. mendax as in R. pomonella). Fum and Had show strong linkage disequilibrium in two northern populations, and weak but significant disequilibrium across the entire geographical range of R. mendax. The genetic uniformity of R. mendax may be a consequence of its restriction to a single host plant species over most of its range.
A MEASUREMENT THEORY FOR TIME GEOGRAPHY

Hagerstrand's time geography is a powerful conceptual framework for understanding constraints on human activity participation in space and time. However, rigorous, analytical definitions of basic time geography entities and relationships do not exist. This limits abilities to make statements about error and uncertainty in time geographic measurement and analysis. It also compromises comparison among different time geographic analyses and the development of standard time geographic computational tools. The time geographic measurement theory in this article consists of analytical formulations for basic time geography entities and relations, specifically, the space–time path, prism, composite path-prisms, stations, bundling, and intersections. The definitions have arbitrary spatial and temporal resolutions and are explicit with respect to informational assumptions: there are clear distinctions between measured and inferred components of each entity or relation. They are also general to n-dimensional space rather than the strict two-dimensional space of classical time geography. Algebraic solutions are available for one or two spatial dimensions, while numeric (but tractable) solutions are required for some entities and relations in higher dimensional space.
Uncertainty and complexity in personal health records

New technologies in medicine have led to an explosion in the number of parameters that must be considered when diagnosing and treating a patient. Because of this high volume of data it is not possible for the human decision maker to take all information into account in arriving at a decision. Automated methods are needed to effectively evaluate electronic information in many formats and provide summaries to the medical professional. The task is complicated by the complexity of the data and the potential uncertainty of some of the results. In this article complexity and uncertainty in medical data are discussed in terms of both representation and types of analysis. Methods that can address multiple complex data types are illustrated and examples are provided for specific medical problems. These methods are particularly important for automated trend analysis in the personal health record as small errors can be propagated through the complex system resulting in incorrect diagnosis and treatment.
Proficiency-Based Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Training With Virtual Reality Simulators: A Comparison of Proctored and Independent Approaches

Background Virtual reality (VR) simulators for laparoscopy and endoscopy may be valuable tools for resident education. However, the cost of such training in terms of trainee and instructor time may vary depending upon whether an independent or proctored approach is employed. Methods We performed a randomized controlled trial to compare independent and proctored methods of proficiency-based VR simulator training. Medical students were randomized to independent or proctored training groups. Groups were compared with respect to the number of training hours and task repetitions required to achieve expert level proficiency on laparoscopic and endoscopic simulators. Cox regression modeling was used to compare time to proficiency between groups, with adjustment for appropriate covariates. Results Thirty-six medical students (18 independent, 18 proctored) were enrolled. Achievement of overall simulator proficiency required a median of 11 hours of training (range, 6-21 hours). Laparoscopic and endoscopic proficiency were achieved after a median of 11 (range, 6-32) and 10 (range, 5-27) task repetitions, respectively. The number of repetitions required to achieve proficiency was similar between groups. After adjustment for covariates, trainees in the independent group achieved simulator proficiency with significantly fewer hours of training (hazard ratio, 2.62; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-6.85; p = 0.048). Conclusions Our study quantifies the cost, in instructor and trainee hours, of proficiency-based laparoscopic and endoscopic VR simulator training, and suggests that proctored instruction does not offer any advantages to trainees. The independent approach may be preferable for surgical residency programs desiring to implement VR simulator training.
Pediatric Plastic Bronchitis: Case Report and Retrospective Comparative Analysis of Epidemiology and Pathology

Plastic bronchitis (PB) is a pathologic condition in which airway casts develop in the tracheobronchial tree causing airway obstruction. There is no standard treatment strategy for this uncommon condition. We report an index patient treated using an emerging multimodal strategy of directly instilled and inhaled tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) as well as 13 other cases of PB at our institution between 2000 and 2012. The majority of cases (n = 8) occurred in patients with congenital heart disease. Clinical presentations, treatments used, histopathology of the casts, and patient outcomes are reviewed. Further discussion is focused on the epidemiology of plastic bronchitis and a systematic approach to the histologic classification of casts. Comorbid conditions identified in this study included congenital heart disease (8), pneumonia (3), and asthma (2). Our institutional prevalence rate was 6.8 per 100,000 patients, and our case fatality rate was 7%.
Retrieving Horizontal Temperature Gradients and Advections from Single-Station Wind Profiler Observations

Abstract Vertical wind shears measured by the Plattevilie, Colorado wind profiler were used in conjunction with the geostrophic thermal wind equation to retrieve the horizontal thermal gradients and associated advections for a case involving an upper-tropospheric jet stream/frontal zone on 23–24 November 1986. The profiler-retrieved thermal gradients and advections and their evolutions compared favorably with those observed by the operational rawinsonde network. The retrieval of horizontal temperature gradients by a single wind profiler is generally effective in quasi-balanced flow regimes, but becomes less reliable in flow regimes dominated by nonbalanced gravity wave activity. In quasi-balanced flow regimes this simple thermal retrieval technique can aid the operational community by monitoring baroclinic features and associated temperature advections on an hourly basis, rather than on a 12-hourly basis currently available through the operational rawinsonde network.
The crystalline lens after vitrectomy for diabetic retinopathy.

Abstract We reviewed the records of 596 consecutive cases of vitrectomy performed for complications of diabetic retinopathy at the Wilmer Eye Institute. Accidental lens damage occurred during surgery in three eyes. Fourteen (8%) of 180 phakic eyes underwent later cataract removal. Follow-up of at least six months and detailed description of the lens at final examination were available in 151 eyes. Of these, visually significant opacities occurred in 32 eyes (21 %), and the lens opacities accounted for substantial loss of final vision in 6 (19%) of these 32 eyes. Moderate or severe lens opacities that developed postoperatively were as follows: anterior subcapsular or cortical changes in 2 eyes (1 %), nuclear sclerosis in 11 eyes (7%), posterior subcapsular changes in 25 eyes (17%). One hundred twenty-five preoperative, operative and postoperative factors were analyzed for each patient to detect correlations with postoperative lens changes. Nuclear sclerotic changes correlated with older patient age. Posterior subcapsular changes correlated with three intraoperative factors: (1) longer duration of the operation, (2) use of intravitreal gas, and (3) use of a gas bubble filling more than 50% of the vitreous cavity. Posterior subcapsular changes were progressive with longer follow-up.
Using SPME fibers and Tenax to predict the bioavailability of pyrethroids and chlorpyrifos in field sediments

The presence of pyrethroids in both urban and agricultural sediments at levels lethal to invertebrates has been well documented. However, variations in bioavailability among sediments make accurate predictions of toxicity based on whole sediment concentrations difficult. A proposed solution to this problem is the use of bioavailability-based estimates, such as solid phase microextraction (SPME) fibers and Tenax beads. This study compared three methods to assess the bioavailability and ultimately toxicity of pyrethroid pesticides including field-deployed SPME fibers, laboratory-exposed SPME fibers, and a 24-h Tenax extraction. The objective of the current study was to compare the ability of these methods to quantify the bioavailable fraction of pyrethroids in contaminated field sediments that were toxic to benthic invertebrates. In general, Tenax proved a more sensitive method than SPME fibers and a correlation between Tenax extractable concentrations and mortality was observed.
Lasers in urology

Interest in the use of the laser in urology is increasing. A thorough understanding of the physical principles governing the laser will aid greatly in the choice of the proper laser for each indication. The tenets of laser safety are stressed, along with the current federal guidelines.
Specific features of injection hardening of cracked concrete structures and buildings with polyurethanes

The procedure of renovation of damaged concrete matrices by injecting flowing polyurethane compositions is described. It is shown that the process of filling of cracks is accompanied by the penetration of injected compositions into the weakened zones and impregnation of the surface layers of concrete. It is confirmed that the components of polyurethane compositions undergo chemical interaction with the OH-groups of cement stone and mineral fillers of concrete. It is demonstrated that the concrete–transition-layer–polyurethane joints formed as a result of the injection guarantee the required serviceability of concrete structures and buildings. The processes of destruction and failures of concrete and reinforced-concrete buildings and structures are accompanied by the formation and development of deep (often through) cracks in concrete matrices. The aim of the present work is to determine the technological and structural features of hardening and renovation of these objects by the injection filling of cracks and other defects in concrete with polyurethane compositions on the basis of the results of investigations and practical experience [1–8]. The advanced technologies of healing the cracks and defects aimed at the restoration of strength and serviceability of damaged concrete buildings and structures and developed at the Karpenko Physicomechanical Institute of the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences and the “Tekhno-Resurs Engineering Center” State Enterprise of the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences are now successfully applied at the plants of the “Energoatom of the Ukraine” National Nuclear Energy Company and Derzhbud of the Ukraine [1, 3, 7, 10]. The technological processes are based on the domestic technique of injection filling of defects in concrete matrices with flowing polyurethane compositions hardening at normal temperatures. In its scientific and engineering level, this technology is in no case inferior to the currently existing foreign achievements in this field [8, 9, 11, 12].
Scattering from dielectric targets buried beneath 2D randomly rough surfaces

This work presents the Mueller matrix elements for scattering from dielectric targets buried beneath 2-D random rough surfaces (3-D scattering problem). The fully polarimetric scattering matrix S is computed for hundreds of computer generated random rough surface realizations and hence the Mueller matrix elements are obtained. The numerical results show that if one relies only on the co- or cross-polarized intensities (i.e. the magnitude of the four elements of the polarimetric scattering matrix S); it is very difficult to sense the buried objects. However investigating all the sixteen Mueller matrix elements greatly helps in detecting these objects.
Realizing 200 Watt/Cubic Inch in VRM

CPU core converters for personal computers require an ever increasing current demand while placing very stringent requirements on the printed circuit board, PCB, real estate where minimal footprint is required. Semiconductor manufacturers are making a more sophisticated process for producing high performance MOSFETs, which are very widely used as the switching device of choice in all DC/DC converters for this application. Toward that end Fairchild has developed a distributed VRM in the form of several modules, each of which is capable of delivering up to 40 Amps per phase at efficiency over 80%. This VRM would allow designers to deliver 200 Amps with five-phase design. The approach in this module concentrates on the power train optimization to realize the best efficiency possible. The selection of the controller and the output and input capacitors is fairly standard and may be found in the technical literature. For each phase, the section that constitutes all the power components are placed on a small plug-in board of 1.15" times 0.85" that delivers 40 Amps and receives the PWM TTL signal from the controller. This module has a footprint of about 0.85" times 0.25" of the motherboard space and may be placed anywhere on the board as close as possible to the CPU reducing the transmission impedance and losses and giving the motherboard designer the flexibility to optimize the power and PCB space utilization. Each modular board may befitted individually with its own heat sink
The role of the L4 33K gene in adenovirus infection.

The late phase of adenovirus infection is characterized not only by the synthesis of late proteins and the assembly of new virions, but also by the inhibition of early gene expression and host cell translation. Previous work has demonstrated that both of these inhibitory effects depend upon expression from the major late transcription unit (MLTU), controlled by the major late promoter (MLP). Furthermore, the repression of early gene expression has been shown to be mediated in trans, suggesting a role for one or more MLTU-encoded soluble factor(s). A possible candidate for such a factor is the L4-encoded 33K gene product, a protein conserved throughout the Mastadenoviridae, but of no known function. To test the role of this protein in viral infection, a stop codon was placed at the 20th position of the 33K ORF. Viable virus with genomes containing the mutation were recovered in an overlap recombination assay. Phenotypic analysis revealed that the mutant virus had a significant deficiency in both kinetics of replication and final yield, as compared to the wild-type virus. Detailed analysis of infected cells showed that there was no detectable change in the regulation of expression of several early genes and the pIX gene. This suggests either that 33K is not involved in this late phase phenomenon or that this function is replaceable by another late protein(s). Late protein synthesis and accumulation were similar to those in wild-type-infected cells. However, the reduced yield of infectious mutant virus could be accounted for by a marked deficiency in the accumulation of intermediate particles and completed capsids, suggesting a role for 33K in the process of assembly. In addition there was a small but reproducible deficiency in the shutoff of host cell translation. These results show that the 33K protein plays an important, although apparently not essential, function in the late phase of virus infection.
Technical note: “Look-ahead” navigation method for K-wire fixation in rhinoplasty

Objective The Kirschner wire (K-wire) technique for fixation of rib cartilage grafts to the maxilla is a powerful tool in rhinoplasty. It gives the nose unparalleled anterior projection. However, the technique is challenging because of poor maxillary visualization through the open rhinoplasty approach. Inaccurate K-wire placement can cause dental injury or violation of the nasal/palatal mucosa. This study evaluates the efficacy of a surgical navigation system to guide K-wire placement. Study design K-wires were placed, through an open rhinoplasty approach, into the maxilla of 12 fresh cadaver heads by a single surgeon. Six control specimens had K-wires placed without navigation. Six treatment specimens had K-wires placed with the “look-ahead navigation method,” in which a surgical navigation device was attached to the K-wire gun. All maxillae were then sectioned to determine the final location of the K-wires. Results Four out of five (80%) of the K-wires were successfully placed in the treatment group, although only 3 out of 6 (50%) of the K-wires were successfully placed in the control group. One treatment K-wire was dislodged during the sectioning process and had to be excluded. The average K-wire deviation in the axial plane was less for the treatment group (0.2 ± 0.4 mm) than for the control group (1.8 ± 1.5 mm; P Conclusion When surgical navigation is used in K-wired cartilage strut graft placement to maxilla, it can improve the accuracy of K-wire placement. This may result in reduced complications due to errant K-wire placement.
Risk of Nocardial Infections With Anti-tumor Necrosis Factor Therapy

Abstract Anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy is beneficial in the management of many chronic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. However, its use is associated with increased risk of bacterial, fungal and viral infections. We present a case of cutaneous nocardiosis that occurred in a 61-year-old man, whose Crohn’s disease was treated for nearly 1.5 years with infliximab. Prompt therapy with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole led to complete resolution. Only few cases of nocardiosis complicating anti-TNF therapy are reported in the literature. We present the case report and summary of the available literature with updates on the management and the treatment of the disease.
Prospective decision analysis for peripheral vascular disease predicts future quality of life.

Objective Decision making for peripheral vascular disease can be quite complex as a result of pre-existing compromise of patient functional status, anatomic considerations, uncertainty of favorable outcome, medical comorbidities, and limitations in life expectancy. The ability of prospective decision-analysis models to predict individual quality of life in patients with lower extremity arterial occlusive disease was tested. Methods This was a prospective cohort study. The settings were university and Veterans Administration vascular surgery practices. All 214 patients referred with symptomatic lower extremity arterial disease of any severity over a 2-year period were screened, and 206 were enrolled. A Markov model was compared with standard clinical decision-making. Utility assessment and generalized (Short Form-36; SF-36) and disease-specific (Walking Impairment Questionnaire; WIQ) quality of life were derived before treatment. Estimates of treatment outcome probabilities and intended and actual treatment plans were provided by attending vascular surgeons. The main outcome measures were generalized (SF-36) and disease-specific (WIQ) variables at study entry and at 4 and 12 months. Results Primary intervention consisted of amputation for 9, bypass for 42, angioplasty for 8, and medical treatment for 147 patients. Considering all patients, no improvement in mean overall patient quality of life measured by the SF-36 Physical Component Score (27 ± 8 vs 28 ± 8; P = .87) or WIQ (39 ± 22 vs 39 ± 23; P = .13) was noted 12 months after counseling and treatment by the vascular surgeons. Individually considered SF-36 categories were improved only for Bodily Pain (40 ± 23 vs 49 ± 25; P = .03), with the most significant improvement observed among patients with the most severe pain (68 ± 25 vs 37 ± 23; P = .02) and among those undergoing bypass (60 ± 29 vs 31 ± 22; P = .02). It is noteworthy that when the treatment chosen was incongruent with the Markov model, patients were more likely to report a poorer quality of life at 1 year (Physical Component Score, 25 ± 8 vs 29 ± 8; P r = 0.23), Bodily Pain ( r = 0.33), and Fatigue ( r = 0.44) and negatively with WIQ ( r = −0.08) observed 1 year later. Conclusions Prospective application of an individualized decision Markov model in patients with vascular disease was predictive of patient quality of life at 1 year. The patient's outcome was worse when the treatment received did not follow the model's recommendation. This decision analysis model may be useful to identify patients at risk for poor outcomes with standard clinical decision making.
RAINFALL, ACTIVITY AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR IN THE LIZARD, ANOLIS AENEUS

The effects of drought periods on the behaviour of a tropical lizard (Anolis aeneus) were measured. The number of lizards active at study sites and display frequencies varied inversely with days since rainfall. Animals that were artificially watered during a drought drank and showed an immediate recovery to prior, non-drought display levels. Rainfall records indicate that drought periods of the duration studied here are frequent in the natural habitat.
The measurement of 18-hydroxy-11-deoxycorticosterone in human plasma by radioimmunoassay

Abstract A radioimmunoassay method for the measurement of plasma levels of 18-hydroxy-11-deoxycorticosterone (18-OH-DOC) has been developed. The antiserum against 18-OH-DOC was produced in rabbits immunized against 18-OH-DOC-3-oxime-bovine serum albumin. Plasma (1–2 ml) was extracted with dichloromethane and chromatographed on paper. The purified extracts were incubated with antiserum at a 1 22,000 dilution for 1 2 hour at 37°C and for 2 hours at 4°C. Saturated ammonium sulfate was used to separate free from bound 18-OH-DOC. 1, 2-3H-18-OH-DOC was added to all samples to correct for losses and to determine the percent free. Pyridine (0.1%) was added to solvents to maintain the stability of 18-OH-DOC. Recovery after extraction was 58 ± 8 (S.D.)%. The accuracy and precision of the method were acceptable, and a sensitivity of 2 pg per sample enabled the measurement of very low levels of 18-OH-DOC. High specificity was demonstrated by a low blank value (0 ± 0.2 pg) and by demonstrating that alternative paper chromatography separation systems gave results not differing significantly from those obtained by the present method. The mean 8AM plasma 18-OH-DOC level was 8.5 ± 1.2 ng per 100 ml in 18 normotensive control subjects. There was a marked response of plasma 18-OH-DOC to ACTH stimulation and dexamethasone suppression and a significant increase after 3 hours upright posture.
Disordered eating among adolescents: Associations with sexual/physical abuse and other familial/psychosocial factors.

Objective To examine associations between disordered eating behaviors and a range of familial/psychosocial factors, including sexual and physical abuse experiences, among adolescent girls and boys. Method A statewide representative sample of 9,943 students in Grades 7, 9, and 11 in Connecticut completed a comprehensive survey on adolescent health within their schools. The present analysis focused on measures of disordered eating, sexual and physical abuse, familial factors, peer support, and depressive symptoms. Results Youth at increased risk for disordered eating included those who perceived family communication, parental caring, and parental expectations as low and those who reported sexual or physical abuse experiences. After adjusting for differences in familial/psychosocial factors, associations between abuse experiences and disordered eating were weakened. However, youth who reported sexual abuse were still at increased risk for disordered eating, even after adjusting for physical abuse, sociodemographics, and familial/psychosocial factors (girls: odds ratio [OR] = 1.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.51, 2.64; boys: OR = 4.88, 95% CI = 2.94, 8.10). Youth reporting physical abuse were also at increased risk for disordered eating after adjusting for sexual abuse, sociodemographics, and familial/psychosocial factors (girls: OR = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.52, 2.62; boys: OR = 1.95, 95% CI = 1.26, 3.04). Discussion The findings suggest that strong familial relationships may decrease the risk for disordered eating among youth reporting abuse experiences, but both sexual and physical abuse are strong independent risk factors for disordered eating among both adolescent girls and boys. © 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 28: 249–258, 2000.
Postnatal development of corneal curvature and thickness in the cat

Objective To evaluate the postnatal development of central corneal curvature and thickness in the domestic cat. Animals studied Six Domestic Short-haired (DSH) kittens starting at 9 weeks of age and 6 adult cats. Procedures Kittens were evaluated biweekly to monthly for a 12-month period, starting at age 9 weeks. Corneal development was monitored by hand-held keratometry and ultrasound biomicroscopy. Standard regression analysis using a nonlinear least squares method was used to generate a formula that would predict corneal curvature as a function of age. Results Mean keratometry (K) values for the 9-week-old cats were 54.51 (±1.02) diopters (D) and these values steeply declined over the next 3 months to 44.95 (±0.90) D. Thereafter, K-values gradually decreased to reach a plateau by 12–15 months of age of 39.90 (±0.42) D. Because K-values still appeared to be slightly diminishing at this point, six other > 2-year-old cats were evaluated by keratometry and were found to have K-values of 38.99 (±0.81). Two to four diopters of astigmatism was common in young kittens whereas adult cats had a low mean degree of astigmatism (< 1 D). A formula that predicted keratometry values in diopters (K) as a function of age in weeks (w) was established as follows: K = 39.83 + 26.87 exp(−0.074 w). The central cornea increased in thickness primarily during the first 4 months of life with 9 week-old kittens having values of 0.379 (±0.012) mm; 16-week-old kittens, 0.548 (±0.021) mm and 67 week-old cats, 0.567 (±0.012) mm. Conclusions The maturation process of the feline cornea proceeds over the first 1–2 years of life to attain an adult status that is characterized by a roughly spherical state of approximately 39 D corneal curvature, substantially flatter than the human cornea, and a central thickness similar to the human cornea. Research studies of the refractive or optical properties of the cornea in which cats are used as experimental animals should be conducted on animals greater than 18 months of age.
Measuring Students' Workload: A New Perspective

Despite 70 years of studies of the effect of students' outside work on their academic performance, the measurement of students' workload has received little attention. Three alternative measures of...
Bilinear Operators with Non-Smooth Symbol, I

This article proves the Lp-boundedness of general bilinear operators associated to a symbol or multiplier which need not be smooth. The Main Theorem establishes a general result for multipliers that are allowed to have singularities along the edges of a cone as well as possibly at its vertex. It thus unifies earlier results of Coifman-Meyer for smooth multipliers and ones, such the Bilinear Hilbert transform of Lacey-Thiele, where the multiplier is not smooth. Using a Whitney decomposition in the Fourier plane, a general bilinear operator is represented as infinite discrete sums of time-frequency paraproducts obtained by associating wave-packets with tiles in phase-plane. Boundedness for the general bilinear operator then follows once the corresponding Lp-boundedness of time-frequency paraproducts has been established. The latter result is the main theorem proved in Part in Part II, our subsequent article [11], using phase-plane analysis.
Drugs, Strip Searches, and Educator Liability: Implications of Safford v. Redding

Abstract School administrators are expected to balance the need for school safety and good order with the rights of students to be free of unreasonable search of their person and property. This balance can be particularly difficult when over-the-counter or prescription drugs are involved. This article summarizes a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that considered the question of how far school administrators can go in their efforts to enforce a drug-free campus policy.
Use of Brain Biopsy for Diagnostic Evaluation of Patients with Suspected Herpes Simplex Encephalitis: A Statistical Model and Its Clinical Implications

Using the decision analysis technique and multivariate regression methods, a statistical model was established to define the utility of brain biopsy for diagnostic evaluation of patients with suspected herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE). Two strategies were compared: strategy I, brain biopsy with acyclovir (ACV) treatment for 10 days in biopsy-positive patients, and strategy II, ACV therapy without brain biopsy. Strategy I resulted in a greater 6-month survival rate when the likelihood of patients having HSE was less than 70%. Based on the current estimated prevalence of HSE (for patients with suspected HSE) of 35%, strategy I showed a slight advantage of a 3.2% increase in 6-month survival rate. An individual patient's chance of a positive brain biopsy can be predicted using a mathematical equation based on several important clinical assessments. This equation in conjunction with the decision analysis is a useful guide for the clinical management of patients with regard to brain biopsy.
Evaluation of outcomes of a medication therapy management program for patients with diabetes

Objective To measure the impact of an employer-sponsored, pharmacist-provided medication therapy management (MTM) program on clinical outcomes and social and process measures for patients with diabetes with or without associated comorbid conditions. Methods Prospective longitudinal study that took place at seven independent pharmacies in Lucas County, OH. A total of 228 patients with diabetes were enrolled. At 6-month intervals, patients were counseled by their pharmacists. Outcome measures included clinical outcomes (glycosylated hemoglobin [A1C], systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure [DBP]), social measures (caffeine intake, alcohol consumption, smoking, and exercise), and process measures (visits to ophthalmologist, podiatrist, and dentist). Wilcoxon signed–rank test and percentages were used to report findings. Results Mean (±SD) A1C concentration decreased from 7.08 ± 1.54% to 6.89 ± 1.30% at 12 months. Patients with A1C levels greater than 7% at baseline averaged a decrease of 0.5% at 6 months and 0.75% at 12 months. Mean SBP values decreased significantly from baseline to 12 months. A total of 87 patients with a baseline SBP greater than 130mm Hg experienced a significant change in blood pressure from baseline to 6 months (−7.1 ± 3.32mm Hg), and 65 patients experienced a significant change in blood pressure from baseline to 12 months (−11.49 ± 0.15mm Hg). A total of 104 patients with a baseline DBP more than 80mm Hg experienced a significant decrease of 4.44 ± 1.25mm Hg at 6 months. Caffeine and alcohol consumption and smoking decreased and exercise increased. In addition, the percentage of patients who visited specialists increased. Conclusion Patients with diabetes experienced improvements in multiple clinical, social, and process measures.
The use of simulated drifters to estimate vorticity

A primitive equation ocean model is used to generate trajectories of simulated clusters of drifters in the California Current (CC) region. These trajectories allow us to evaluate a least squares (LS) method of estimating vorticity and vertical velocity along a cluster's path. Two clusters provide examples of successful and less successful estimates of vorticity and vertical velocity. Our analysis quantifies the dependence of estimate quality on several parameters that can be used as error predictors in the LS estimate of vorticity: cluster separation, number of drifters in a cluster, and cluster shape. A combination of cluster separation and ellipticity shows the most promise as an indicator of quality for the vorticity estimate.
Patient with hepatitis B and alcoholic liver disease before and after liver transplantation

We present the case of a patient with hepatitis B virus infection and alcohol use (30 g/day by self-report) who developed cirrhosis and proceeded to liver transplantation at age 49. The explanted liver showed cirrhosis with evidence of burnt-out steatohepatitis and hepatitis B virus and a 0.7-cm focus of well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma. He was managed following transplant with tacrolimus, prednisone, lamivudine, adefovir, and hepatitis B immune globulin infusions. His post-transplant course was complicated by several episodes of elevated liver enzymes. Liver biopsy 3 months after liver transplantation showed acute rejection and mild steatohepatitis. Liver biopsy 6 months after liver transplantation showed marked steatosis (approximately 95%) with moderate steatohepatitis and evidence of treated rejection. Subsequent biopsies (15 and 21 months post liver transplantation) showed resolution of the steatohepatitis, but development of chronic rejection. We discuss the interaction of alcoholic liver disease and hepatitis B virus in the development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, as well as the role of liver transplantation in these patients.
Citation for presentation of the 2007 V.M. Goldschmidt Award to Guenter W. Lugmair

Victor Moritz Goldschmidt is considered, along with V.I. Vernadsky, to be the founder of modern geochemistry. He was born in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1888, and died on his return from England to Oslo after World War II. Following on the compilation of elemental abundances in igneous rocks by Frank Wigglesworth Clarke, Goldschmidt sought the principles by which the chemical elements were distributed in minerals, igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks, the “bulk earth”, and the "cosmos". He completed his PhD Thesis in 1911 on "Die Kontact metamorphose in Kristiansgebeit" (now Oslo) and at age 26 was appointed director of the Mineral Institute of Oslo (see Fig. 1). Goldschmidt had a deep understanding of theory and the necessity of good data with “modern techniques” on the right samples. He had quick recognition of the connections between different areas of science, of new developments (crystal structure, ionic radii!) and of new technologies, which he applied to a host of problems in the earth sciences. Goldschmidt was appointed Professor of Mineralogy and Petrology in Gottingen, Germany, in 1929, where there was an extremely high level of scientific research in physics, chemistry and mathematics. He benefited enormously through interaction with other great scientists and persuaded the physicist R. Mannkopf to build him a high sensitivity optical spectrograph, which opened the door to revolutionary new studies. Goldschmidt was then driven out of Germany a few years later with the rise of Nazism with the accompanying violent anti-Semitism. After receiving a special edict relieving him of his duties to the Prussian State with a special edict signed by Adolph Hitler in "the name of the third Reich", he returned to Oslo in 1935. After the German invasion of Norway, he escaped to England via Sweden with the help of the Norwegian underground.
A Test for Equality of Exponential Distributions Based on Type-II Censored Samples

Moments of the likelihood ratio test (LRT) criterion for testing the equality of several exponential distributions based on type-II censored samples of unequal size are obtained. They are used to obtain the distribution in a computational form for the first time. A table of selected significe points of LRT is presented.
Comparisons of Horizontal Winds Measured by Opposing Beams with the Flatland ST Radar and between Flatland Measurements and NMC Analyses

Abstract This study examines the consistency between VHF horizontal wind measurements and those interpolated from routine objective analyses. First, the agreement between the two U components and between the two V components measured on opposing beams (here referred to as the beam-to-beam intercomparison) by the Flatland 49.8-MHz wind profiler is examined to determine the beam-to-beam consistency and relative precision of this radar. This part of the study demonstrates the ability of this technique to detect system problems affecting only one radar beam and provides a benchmark for comparison with radar systems operating near the Front Range of the Rockies and for the comparison in the second part of this study. This second comparison is between the Flatland observations and the spatially smooth winds from the National Meteorological Center's (NMC) regional objective analysis for July through November 1990. The location of the Flatland profiler near Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, is free of significant orogr...
Stress During Pregnancy Alters Rat Offspring Morphology and Ultrasonic Vocalizations

Abstract Williams, M. T., M. B. Hennessy, and H. N. Davis. Stress during pregnancy alters rat offspring morphology and ultrasonic vocalizations. PHYSIOL. BEHAV. 63(3) 337–343, 1998.—Stress during pregnancy, or prenatal stress, is known to alter offspring behavior, morphology and physiology. We found that a heat, light and restraint stressor applied during the third trimester of pregnancy: 1) decreased the weight gain of adult female rats during pregnancy; 2) reduced the weight of pups, as well as the anogenital distance of male offspring, at birth; and 3) increased the number of ultrasonic vocalizations emitted by pups during isolation in a novel environment on Postnatal Day 14. These results closely approximate those we previously observed after peripheral administration of corticotropin-releasing factor to pregnant females during the third trimester. Together, the studies strongly suggest a role for corticotropin-releasing factor and/or other hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system in mediating some of the effects of gestational stress.
Codling Moth: Effects of 30 Krad of Gamma Irradiation to the Male Parent on Production and Fertility of the F1 Progeny

Treatment of laboratory-reared adult males of Laspeyresia pomonella (L.) with 30 krad of gamma irradiation and the subsequent successful mating with unirradiated females resulted in an avg 4.2% egg hatch. The avg number of 1st entries in apples resulting from each successful mating was 54.0 and 0.42 for the 0 and 30 krad treatments, respectively. The avg number of healthy F1 adults produced by these same crosses was 21.0 and 0.09, respectively. When the F1 males were paired with normal females and compared with control pairings, reductions of 74.2, 50.1, and 100% were observed for mating, oviposition, and egg hatch, respectively.
Teaching a college course on children and death: a 13-year report.

Abstract This article describes the history of a college course entitled “Children and Death,” which has been offered by Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville since the fall term of 1977, together with some lessons learned from the teaching of that course in various formats on 16 separate occasions through the spring term of 1990. One purpose of this article is to suggest to interested persons both the feasibility and the desirability of mounting a similar source in their own institutions.
Consequentialist foundations for expected utility

Behaviour norms are considered for decision trees which allow both objective probabilities and uncertain states of the world with unknown probabilities. Terminal nodes have consequences in a given domain. Behaviour is required to be consistent in subtrees. Consequentialist behaviour, by definition, reveals a consequence choice function independent of the structure of the decision tree. It implies that behaviour reveals a revealed preference ordering satisfying both the independence axiom and a novel form of sure-thing principle. Continuous consequentialist behaviour must be expected utility maximizing. Other plausible assumptions then imply additive utilities, subjective probabilities, and Bayes' rule.
Inhibition of brain 5α-reductase in pregnant rats: effects on enzymatic and behavioral activity

Abstract Medial basal hypothalamic (MBH) 5α-reductase activity was significantly blocked with a known inhibitor, Proscar (Finasteride), in pregnant rats while their open-field behavior was quantified during the last week of pregnancy. In control animals, open-field behavior significantly decreased (in a stair-step fashion) as a function of increasing gestational age. Conversely, in Proscar-treated animals open-field values significantly increased on day 15 and 17 of gestation compared to control values. These data indicate that inhibition of MBH 5α-reductase during pregnancy significantly increased open-field activity levels during late gestation in rats and provides evidence for a link between the production of 5α-reduced metabolites of progesterone in brain and behavioral activity during pregnancy.
On Durbin's series for the density of first passage times

Durbin (1992) derived a convergent series for the density of the first passage time of a Weiner process to a curved boundary. We show that the successive partial sums of this series can be expressed as the iterates of the standard substitution method for solving an integral equation. The calculation is thus simpler than it first appears. We also show that, under a certain condition, the series converges uniformly. This strengthens Durbin's result of pointwise convergence. Finally, we present a modified procedure, based on scaling, which sometimes works better. These approaches cover some cases that Durbin did not.
CH4 TPR-MS of NiO/MgO solid solution catalysts

The activation of CH4 over NiO/MgO was investigated via temperature-programmed reaction mass spectroscopy (TPR-MS). Over pure MgO, CH4 is not activated, while over pure NiO, CH4 is activated to CO2 around 660 °C. There are two kinds of CH4 activations over the NiO/MgO solid solution catalysts prepared by the impregnation of MgO with Ni(NO3)2 solutions and calcination at 800 °C: the activation to CO and CO2 by the oxygen of the surface NiO dissolved in MgO, which is characterized by relatively sharp peaks, followed by the slow activation of CH4 by the bulk lattice oxygen bound to the Ni ions. The temperatures corresponding to the sharp peak and to the beginning of the slow activation decrease with increasing NiO content. The activation temperature is lower by about 230 °C over a catalyst prepared by mechanical mixing of NiO and MgO powders followed by calcination at 800 °C than over the catalyst prepared by impregnation, and it is lower by 120 °C than that over pure NiO. This is likely a result of the for...