cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disaster Competency Development and Integration in Nursing Education

Nurses, because of their nursing education and perspective practicing in multiple roles and settings, are uniquely qualified for mass casualty preparedness and response. Educating the current 2.7 million registered nurses and all future nursing graduates is a daunting task. Nursing education must ensure that graduates are prepared with the necessary knowledge and skills for mass casualty incidents. Four key entities are essential for education's successful implementation of disaster preparedness: education and professional organizations, accreditation and regulatory bodies, schools of nursing, and continuing education providers. This article examines the role each of these key entities plays in the development of a nursing workforce prepared for mass casualty response. In addition, the International Nursing Coalition for Mass Casualty Education (INCMCE) registered nurse (RN) competencies for mass casualty incidents and guidelines for integrating these competencies into the nursing education curricula are presented.
The Measles Virus Nucleocapsid Protein Tail Domain is Dispensable for Viral Polymerase Recruitment and Activity

Paramyxovirus genomes are ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes consisting of nucleoprotein (N)-encapsidated viral RNA. Measles virus (MeV) N features an amino-terminal RNA-binding core and a 125-residue tail domain, of which only the last 75 residues are considered fully mobile on the nucleocapsid surface. A molecular recognition element (MoRE) domain mediates binding of the viral phosphoprotein (P). This P N-tail interaction is considered instrumental for recruiting the polymerase complex to the template. We have engineered MeV N variants with tail truncations progressively eliminating the MoRE domain and upstream tail sections. Confirming previous reports, RNPs with N truncations lacking the carboxyl-terminal 43-residues harboring the MoRE domain cannot serve as polymerase template. Remarkably, further removal of all tail residues predicted to be surface-exposed significantly restores RNP bioactivity. Insertion of structurally dominant tags into the central N-tail section reduces bioactivity, but the negative regulatory effect of exposed N-tail stems is sequence-independent. Bioactive nucleocapsids lacking exposed N-tail sections are unable to sustain virus replication, because of weakened interaction of the advancing polymerase complex with the template. Deletion of the N-MoRE-binding domain in P abrogates polymerase recruitment to standard nucleocapsids, but polymerase activity is partially restored when N-tail truncated RNPs serve as template. Revising central elements of the current replication model, these data reveal that MeV polymerase is capable of productively docking directly to the nucleocapsid core. Dispensable for polymerase recruitment, N-MoRE binding to P-tail stabilizes the advancing polymerase-RNP complex and may rearrange unstructured central tail sections to facilitate polymerase access to the template.
Sleep-associated gonadotrophin and oestradiol patterns in girls with precocious sexual development.

SUMMARY Circulating concentrations of gonadotrophins and oestradiol (E2) during sleep were examined in six girls aged 5–10 years with precocious sexual development. All subjects exhibited nocturnal increments of LH and/or FSH. Gonadotrophin secretion appeared to vary from pulsatile release to random oscillations. Three subjects with LH pulses of greater than 5 miu/ml and a concomitant FSH rise had a temporal elevation of E2 during sleep. The other three subjects with pulses of either LH or FSH of less than 5 miu/ml had no nocturnal rise in E2. These data suggest that the nocturnal elevation of E2 results from pituitary release of both LH and FSH, leads to premature sexual development, and may be occasioned by inappropriate timing of hypothalamic gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (LHRH) secretion.
Effects of Percentage of White Coat Color on Holstein Production and Reproduction in a Subtropical Environment

Abstract Percentage of white coat color was measured visually on registry certificates of 4293 first lactation Holstein cows on eight Florida dairy farms; records of production and reproduction were obtained from DHI. Data were analyzed using derivative-free REML with an animal model to estimate heritability of nine performance measures and to establish their relationships with white percentage. Adjustment of other response variables for white percentage altered heritabilities very little. Regression of milk production on white percentage was 1.91 kg/1% white. Regression coefficients were negative for fat and protein percentages and positive for protein and fat production. Regression coefficients for reproductive traits on white percentage were negative (i.e., white was desirable) but were not statistically significant. Probability of survival to second parturition was higher but not significant for cows with higher white percentage, Interaction of white percentage and season for fat percentage and days open was significant. In a subtropical environment, white percentage appears to affect productive and perhaps reproductive performance. Economic aspects of selection for increased white percentage need to be investigated.
Evidence for Entropy Effects in the Reduction of Ceria−Zirconia Solutions

An instrument for Coulometric-titration measurements was built and used to measure the thermodynamic redox properties for a 10 wt % Cu/silica catalyst at 973 K and for two ceria−zirconia solid solutions, Ce0.81Zr0.19O2 and Ce0.25Zr0.75O2, between 873 and 1073 K. For Cu/silica, the equilibrium data show two well-defined steps in the oxygen isotherms, associated with equilibrium between Cu and Cu2O and between Cu2O and CuO; and the P(O2) associated with these two steps are in close agreement with values expected for pure Cu. The oxidation enthalpies for both Ce0.81Zr0.19O2 and Ce0.25Zr0.75O2 were similar, between −500 and −550 kJ/mol of O2, and independent of the extent of reduction. However, there is a step change in −ΔS of reduction for Ce0.81Zr0.19O2, from ∼250 to <100 J/mol·K, after removal of approximately one oxygen for every two Zr4+. A model is presented which views the reduction of ceria−zirconia as removal of oxygen from “pyrochlore-like” structures, with some of the changes in reducibility associ...
Derivation of lung epithelium from bone marrow cells

Recent studies demonstrate the capacity of BM-derived cells to engraft as differentiated cells of a variety of organs, including lung. In this paper, we review the current state-of-the-art in this area. We also summarize our work demonstrating that cultured adherent marrow cells can serve as progenitors of lung alveolar epithelium.
Condom Negotiation: Findings and Future Directions

The aim of this review was to summarize factors associated with condom negotiation among heterosexual men. Literature searches were conducted using multiple databases spanning several disciplines. Studies examining psychological, demographic, relational, communication, and environmental factors related to condom negotiation are described, and a three-dimensional framework of condom negotiation is proposed. This framework of condom negotiation may aid researchers in operationalizing this construct, organizing this literature, and facilitating measurement development. We used this three-dimensional framework to articulate the influence of gender, ethnicity, relationship type, partner characteristics, trauma history, post-traumatic stress, and alcohol use on condom negotiation. Areas for future research are outlined. More research is needed to understand how these factors interact to influence condom negotiation, as well as the interaction between gender and the identified factors.
How Inhibition Shapes Cortical Activity

Cortical processing reflects the interplay of synaptic excitation and synaptic inhibition. Rapidly accumulating evidence is highlighting the crucial role of inhibition in shaping spontaneous and sensory-evoked cortical activity and thus underscores how a better knowledge of inhibitory circuits is necessary for our understanding of cortical function. We discuss current views of how inhibition regulates the function of cortical neurons and point to a number of important open questions.
Cardiac Motion in Patients with Pericardial Effusion A Study Using Reflected Ultrasound

Diagnostic ultrasound was used to record the movement of the anterior and posterior heart walls in 23 patients with proven pericardial effusion. Fifteen of these patients demonstrated heart-wall motion that could not be distinguished from the normal pattern. Two patients with acute cardiac tamponade exhibited markedly reduced cardiac motion. The ultrasoundcardiograms obtained from the remaining six patients indicated posterior displacement of the entire heart during systole. The extent of this cardiac displacement varied. Five of the six patients with excessive cardiac motion had malignant pericardial effusion, and four of the six had clinical evidence of cardiac tamponade. The two patients with the most marked excursions exhibited electrical alternation. The results of this study substantiate the theory that excessive cardiac motion may occur in some patients with pericardial effusion. Objective evidence is also provided in support of the positional etiology of electrical alternation associated with peri...
Self-efficacy and the maintenance of exercise participation in older adults

The role played by exercise self-efficacy in the maintenance of exercise participation of previously sedentary middle-aged adults 4 months after the termination of a formal exercise program is reported. Correlational and multiple regression analyses examined the influence of self-efficacy, physiological (aerobic capacity, sex, body composition), and behavioral (past exercise frequency and intensity) parameters in the maintenance of exercise participation. Self-efficacy significantly predicted exercise behavior at follow-up when controlling for biological and behavioral influences. Aerobic capacity, exercise efficacy, and exercise behavior in combination were significantly related to current energy expenditure in aerobic physical activity. The discussion focuses on the need to examine the impact of different correlates of exercise behavior at different stages of the exercise process.
Customized wavelets for fault location in power systems

A procedure for generating customized wavelets for detecting the location of a fault in a power transmission line is proposed. A typical fault waveform consists of a 60Hz component and multiple reflections of a short transient. Measuring the time-difference-of-arrival (TDOA) between two consecutive transient reflections provides an accurate estimate of the location of the fault. Highly accurate TDOA estimates can be obtained only when the processed fault waveform consists of short/peaked pulses. Our customization procedure enhances the “peakedness” of the transient waveform by optimizing a suitable peakedness metric. This approach yields more accurate estimates than the method used in [1], which used a standard (Daubechies-4) wavelet to process the fault waveform. Our analysis also provides us with some insight as to why a discrete wavelet transform (including the one used in [1]) can significantly enhance the peakedness of a wide variety of power system fault waveforms.
Early history of neutron scattering at oak ridge

Abstract Most of the early development of neutron scattering techniques utilizing reactor neutrons occurred at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory during the years immediately following World War II. C.G. Shull, E.O. Wollan, and their associates systematically established neutron diffraction as a quantitative research tool and then applied this technique to important problems in nuclear physics, chemical crystallography, and magnetism. This article briefly summarizes the very important research at ORNL during this period, which laid the foundation for the establishment of neutron scattering programs throughout the world.
Dietary fat effect on incorporation and release of lipids and cholesterol by rat intestinal slices.

The effect of saturated and unsaturated fats on in vitro formation and release of lipids and cholesterol from14C acetate by rat intestinal tissue was investigated. The rats were fed a basal diet enriched with either 25% corn oil or lard and then sacrificed after a 10- or 25-day feeding period. It was observed that a similar14C lipid content but a greater14C cholesterol content was found in the intestinal tissue of rats fed corn oil than in rats fed lard for 10 days. After a longer period of feeding of 25 days, the intestinal tissue14C cholesterol level was decreased in the corn oil fed rats without any significant effect on other lipids. These data suggest that corn oil in some way influences cholesterol biosynthesis depending upon its degree of unsaturation and the period of time for which it is fed. The decrease at the later time might involve some mechanism which aids in getting rid of accumulated tissue cholesterol. Less14C lipid and14C cholesterol were released by the intestinal tissue of rats fed the unsaturated fat as compared with those fed the saturated fat, suggesting a possible role in vivo in reducing blood lipids and blood cholesterol levels.
Review of electrolytic conductance standards

Measurements of aqueous electrolytic conductance are performed routinely in a variety of disciplines and industries. Conductivity is a measure of the ionic content in solution and thus has applications in pharmaceuticals, power plants, rainwater, lake surveys, and oceanography, to name a few. A thorough review of the measurement of and standards for aqueous electrolytic conductance is herein presented. At present, the most precise and accurate standards have been set forth by the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML), and have been adopted by most other standards organizations. However, the uncertainty assigned to these standards, especially the secondary standards, is somewhat larger than would be expected from the physical aspects of the measurement. Several changes in the units and measurement scales, including temperature, volume, molar mass, resistance, and concentration obfuscate the accuracy of these standards. In addition to the review, research is proposed, using a conductance cell with variable length, to establish new standards for aqueous electrolytic conductance.
MODEL SYSTEMS FOR FLAVOENZYME ACTIVITY : ONE- AND TWO-ELECTRON REDUCTION OF FLAVINS IN APROTIC HYDROPHOBIC ENVIRONMENTS

The processes occurring during the electrochemically irreversible reduction of flavins in aprotic organic medium have been the cause of considerable controversy. To provide insight into these events we have investigated the reduction of flavins alkylated at N(3). We have demonstrated that the reversible reduction of N(3)-methylated flavin can be converted to the irreversible reduction observed with unalkylated flavins through addition of the weak external proton donor phthalimide. Proton transfer to the flavin radical anion generated at the electrode leads to partial formation of the neutral flavin radical, which is instantaneously further reduced to the fully reduced flavin anion. This mirrors the reduction of unalkylated flavins, where the proton source is the imide proton at N(3) of fully oxidized flavin in bulk solution. Simultaneous electrochemistry and EPR experiments confirm the disappearance of electrogenerated flavin radical anion both methylated and non-methylated at N(3), upon addition of phtha...
Analysis of selenium accumulation, speciation and tolerance of potential selenium hyperaccumulator Symphyotrichum ericoides

Symphyotrichum ericoides was shown earlier to contain hyperaccumulator levels of selenium (Se) in the field (>1000 mg kg(-1) dry weight (DW)), but only when growing next to other Se hyperaccumulators. It was also twofold larger next to hyperaccumulators and suffered less herbivory. This raised two questions: whether S. ericoides is capable of hyperaccumulation without neighbor assistance, and whether its Se-derived benefit is merely ecological or also physiological. Here, in a comparative greenhouse study, Se accumulation and tolerance of S. ericoides were analyzed in parallel with hyperaccumulator Astragalus bisulcatus, Se accumulator Brassica juncea and related Asteraceae Machaeranthera tanacetifolia. Symphyotrichum ericoides and M. tanacetifolia accumulated Se up to 3000 and 1500 mg Se kg(-1) DW, respectively. They were completely tolerant to these Se levels and even grew 1.5- to 2.5-fold larger with Se. Symphyotrichum ericoides showed very high leaf Se/sulfur (S) and shoot/root Se concentration ratios, similar to A. bisulcatus and higher than M. tanacetifolia and B. juncea. Se X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy showed that S. ericoides accumulated Se predominantly (86%) as C-Se-C compounds indistinguishable from methyl-selenocysteine, which may explain its Se tolerance. Machaeranthera tanacetifolia accumulated 55% of its Se as C-Se-C compounds; the remainder was inorganic Se. Thus, in this greenhouse study S. ericoides displayed all of the characteristics of a hyperaccumulator. The larger size of S. ericoides when growing next to hyperaccumulators may be explained by a physiological benefit, in addition to the ecological benefit demonstrated earlier.
Selective doping and optimization of InGaN channel and InGaN backbarrier in deep submicron GaN heterojunction field effect transistor with a recessed gate

In this work, the authors employed a selective doping technique that was developed in our group to reduce the high electrical field around the recessed gate and improve the electric field profile in the ungated drift region for supporting high voltage. We also used an InGaN channel and an InGaN back-barrier to increase the confinement of the 2DEG.
Triple mode alignment in a canonical model of the blue-sky catastrophe

The blue-sky catastrophe (BSC) is a homoclinic bifurcation of a saddle node periodic orbit of codimension one, which has been found to occur in a number of physically relevant dynamics systems. The onset and termination of the BSC in a chaotic system is shown to coincide with the occurrence of triple mode alignment in a canonical model undergoing the BSC when the model is recast as an oscillator system. Typically, such behavior is only seen in hyperchaotic systems of dimension greater than three. Hence, in the case of three dimensional chaotic systems, competitive modes may under some circumstances be used in the prediction of the blue-sky catastrophe. Limitations to this approach are also discussed.
Virtuous CI teams

This article presents two examples of virtual teams that changed their environment and thus, by reason of their impact, are considered “virtuous.” One example is the Linux computer operating system's development team. The other is the team behind Jesse Ventura's successful gubernatorial campaign in Minnesota. The article then identifies several similarities between these teams and virtual CI teams, and identifies a critical difference: virtuous teams cause action. The article concludes by considering the implications of accepting virtuous teams as models for CI. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Escenarios alternativos: el lenguaje de los títeres en la ficción cervantina

Don Quixote’s fascination with Master Peter’s puppet show has spurred artists and stage directors from the 19th century to the present, creating and recreating a definitive repertoire of adaptations for puppets based on Cervantes’ works. As might be expected, in terms of sheer numbers the Don Quixote itself leads off the list of marionette performances on national and international stages. This article, however, focuses on the staging of Manuel de Falla’s opera Master Peter’s Puppet Show (1923) and the Eduardo Vasco’s sole dramatic adaptation of the epic poem Journey to Parnassus (2005). Moreover, this study investigates the aesthe­tics of puppetry through a close reading of these two creations, broadening the cultural and artistic legacy of Cervantes during the 20th and 21st centuries.
Flow Cytometry Susceptibility Testing for the Antifungal Caspofungin

Rapid antifungal susceptibility testing for the antifungal agent caspofungin can be performed using flow cytometry (FC). An FC procedure using acridine orange provided minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) results within 7 to 9 h which were compared with results obtained using the NCCLS M27-A2 protocol. To evaluate the consistency of this method, susceptibility testing using caspofungin was performed using 73 isolates of eight different species of Candida from various clinical samples in Central California. Macrotiter or microdilution tests were performed according to the NCCLS M27-A2 protocol, and the MICs were compared to those provided by our flow cytometry method. All isolates tested had results within the sensitive interpretive category, and 90% of the results compared within 1 dilution, showing excellent agreement between the methods. The MIC at which 50% of the isolates tested were inhibited (MIC50) and the MIC90 of caspofungin for all eight Candida species were within 1 dilution. This flow cytometer 7-h protocol for testing the antifungal susceptibility of Candida species to caspofungin provided results equivalent to those obtained with the M27-A2 protocol.
Engaging and Developing Research Leaders in Practice: Creating a Foundation for a Culture of Clinical Inquiry

This article describes the first formative year experience of a research council in a children's hospital within a Magnet-designated hospital system. The vision, transformational leadership structure, and implementation strategies used during the first year of formation of a Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Council (NREBPC) are delineated and reflect Magnet components and sources of evidence (American Nurses Credentialing Center [ANCC], 2008). The use of the nursing excellence framework (ANCC, 2008) coupled with principles of adult learning to expand the knowledge and skills of nurses on the NREBPC are described and examples provided. Initial outcomes in terms of nurses' leadership for research studies and planned documentation of additional metrics that have the potential to improve care through the development of a culture of inquiry are proposed.
Unraveling manganese dissolution/deposition mechanisms on the negative electrode in lithium ion batteries

The structure, chemistry, and spatial distribution of Mn-bearing nanoparticles dissolved from the Li1.05Mn2O4 cathode during accelerated electrochemical cycling tests at 55 °C and deposited within the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) are directly characterized through HRTEM imaging and XPS. Here we use air protection and vacuum transfer systems to transport cycled electrodes for imaging and analytical characterization. From HRTEM imaging, we find that a band of individual metallic Mn nanoparticles forms locally at the SEI/graphite interface while the internal and outermost layer of the SEI contains a mixture of LiF and MnF2 nanoparticles, which is confirmed with XPS. Based on our experimental findings we propose a new interpretation of how Mn is reduced from the cathode and how metallic Mn and Mn-bearing nanoparticles form within the SEI during electrochemical cycling.
On bend-stretch forming of aluminum extruded tubes - I: Experiments

Abstract Tubular aluminum frame parts for automotive applications are best produced by extrusion. The tubes are then cold formed to the required shape by prestretching, pressurizing and bending them over rigid dies. Tension prevents buckling of the compressed side and significantly reduces the springback on unloading. An unwanted byproduct of the process is distortion of the cross section. It has been found that modest levels of pressure can reduce this distortion. The selection of the level of tension and pressure for optimum forming is presently empirical. The study discussed herein seeks to develop a scientific basis for optimizing forming processes such that buckling is avoided and distortion and springback are minimized. Part I describes a custom bend-stretch-pressure forming facility developed for the study. The facility is operated by one pneumatic and two servohydraulic closed-loop systems. This allows computer control of the process, and affords selectable loading histories. The planar forming process was modeled by approximating the tube as a nonlinear elastic–plastic beam which can undergo large rotations. The model was shown capable of reproducing accurately the loading history experienced by different sections along the length of the part during forming. Representative results from forming experiments involving rectangular aluminum are presented. The results are used to discuss the effect of friction, tension and pressure on the cross-sectional distortion, springback and net elongation of the part. Part II presents a model for establishing the cross-sectional distortion induced during forming. The model is used in conjunction with experimental results to establish ways of optimizing the process.
Iodine binding capacity and iodine binding energy of glycogen

The iodine binding capacity (IBC) of glycogen is around 0.30% (w/w) at 3°C. The amount of iodine complexed comprises about 12.5% of the mass of glycogen that takes part in the glycogen–iodine (GI) complex formation. This suggests involvement of four iodine atoms for every 25 anhydroglucose units (AGU, C6H10O5). Since the chromophore is due to the I4 unit within the helix of 11 AGUs, only 44% of the AGUs (11 out of 25) are involved in the complex formation. The heat of formation of the GI complex is around −40 kJ/mol of I2 bonded. These results suggest remarkable similarities with those of the amylopectin–iodine (API) complex. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 1409–1412, 1997
Employee assistance program services for intimate partner violence and client satisfaction with these services.

OBJECTIVE:: To describe intimate partner violence (IPV) services available through employee assistance programs (EAPs) and determine women's satisfaction with these services. METHODS:: A mixed-methods study consisting of semistructured telephone interviews with 28 EAPs about IPV-related services and a national web-based survey of 1765 women regarding their interactions with EAPs when seeking IPV-related assistance. Data were collected in the fall of 2008. RESULTS:: EAPs provide fairly extensive services to individuals experiencing IPV. Satisfaction with EAP services for IPV was significantly associated with annual income and the type of help received from the EAP, but not with type of IPV experienced. EAP representatives described challenges with accurately identifying IPV victims and women expressed concerns with confidentiality. CONCLUSIONS:: Future efforts to enhance the ability of EAPs to respond effectively to IPV should address confidentially and strengthen how IPV-related assistance is delivered. Language: en
Chiasma maintenance and terminalization across a homoeologous bivalent segment

In maize microsporocytes Heterozygous for a chromosome 2 interchange chromosome (which carries a homoeologous Tripsacum chromosome segment substituted for the distal half of its short arm), normal synapsis usually occurs at pachytene throughout the bivalent, but crossing over is almost entirely restricted to the homologous proximal region of the arm, (where it apprently occurs frequently). At diakinesis chiasmata were very often found to be located immediately proximal to an easily observable terminal knob of the Tripscacum chromosome segment. It was concluded that chiasmata, initiated in the homologous proximal region, had been maintained while terminalizing across the homoeologous region. It was also noted that heterozygosity for a telomere (and distal region) foreign to maize does not seem to inhibit pairing effective for crossing over in the homologous proximal portion of the chromosome arm.
Incorporation of a Bioactive Reverse-Turn Heterocycle into a Peptide Template Using Solid-Phase Synthesis To Probe Melanocortin Receptor Selectivity and Ligand Conformations by 2D 1H NMR

By use of a solid-phase synthetic approach, a bioactive reverse turn heterocycle was incorporated into a cyclic peptide template to probe melanocortin receptor potency and ligand structural conformations. The five melanocortin receptor isoforms (MC1R−MC5R) are G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that are regulated by endogenous agonists and antagonists. This pathway is involved in pigmentation, weight, and energy homeostasis. Herein, we report novel analogues of the chimeric AGRP-melanocortin peptide template integrated with a small molecule moiety to probe the structural and functional consequences of the core His-Phe-Arg-Trp peptide domain using a reverse-turn heterocycle. A series of six compounds are reported that result in inactive to full agonists with nanomolar potency. Biophysical structural analysis [2D 1H NMR and computer-assisted molecular modeling (CAMM)] were performed on selected analogues, resulting in the identification that these peptide-small molecule hybrids possessed increased flexibil...
Impaired function of mitochondrial electron transfer complex I in canine myocardial ischemia: Loss of flavin mononucleotide

Abstract Regional myocardial ischemia was produced in anesthetized dogs by occluding the left branch of the circumflex coronary artery. After 30 or 60 min of occlusion, mitochondria were isolated from both non-ischemic (control) and ischemic transmural samples of the left ventricle and septum. Mitochondria from 60 min ischemic myocardium exhibited a drop in NAD-linked state 3 respiratory rates to 56 ± 3% of controls and a parallel loss of NADH-CoQ reductase activity to 54 ± 4% of controls. Analyses of two non-protein components of electron transfer complex I in mitochondria isolated from 60 min ischemic myocardium revealed a decrease in acid-extractable flavin mononucleotide (FMN) to 58 ± 5% of controls and a small decrease in ubiquinone to 89 ± 2% of controls. The observed dissociation and apparent washout of non-covalently-bound FMN from the ischemically damaged mitochondria thus accounted nearly quantitatively for the proportionate decrease seen in NADH-CoQ reductase activity and in state 3 respiration with NAD-linked substrates.
When is an assessment an intervention? Parent perception of infant intentionality and language.

ABSTRACT Objective To determine whether the process of having parents rate their infant's intentionality and language using parent-report questionnaires influences parents’ tendency to view infants as intentional or linguistic. Method The Infant Intentionality Questionnaire (IIQ) and the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories (CDI) were administered to three groups of mothers. Forty mothers completed the interviews longitudinally when their infants were 8, 10, and 12 months old. A group of 20 mothers completed the interviews longitudinally when their infants were 10 and 12 months old. A third group of 20 mothers completed the interviews at 12 months only. Results IIQ scores increased across age but also were higher if parents had more experience with the questionnaire. CDI scores increased with age, but there was no effect of repeated testing. Conclusions Previous experience with the IIQ seems to have enhanced the tendency to perceive intentionality. In contrast, repeated testing with the CDI did not alter parent perception of child language. These results suggest that some parent-report instruments (e.g., the IIQ) can alter the test-taker's awareness and thus could serve as an intervention. Parent-report instruments that tap something that is salient, familiar, and easily observable (e.g., the child's language) are less likely to alter the parent's perception.
Results of a program to improve the process of inpatient care of adult asthmatics.

Objective To assess the effectiveness of a program to improve care of adult patients hospitalized for asthma. Design Retrospective analysis of patient and house staff education, patterns of medication use, spacer use, peak flowmeter use, and length of stay before and after team intervention. Setting A 960-bed teaching hospital in New York City. Patients All patients admitted to the hospital with a primary diagnosis of acute asthma exacerbation for 2 separate similar calendar periods, 1 year apart, before and after program intervention. We excluded patients who were hospitalized for less than 24 h or greater than 10 days. The preintervention group comprised 61 patients and the postintervention group 65 patients, well matched in their demographic characteristics and severity of disease. Interventions Using a team approach, we analyzed the process of inpatient treatment of asthma exacerbation, identified root causes for quality deficiency, and implemented specific improvements in the process. These included dedicated nurses who focused on the education of care providers and patients, a personalized attending-intern educational approach, and improvement in the supply and delivery of spacers, peak flowmeters, and medications to the patients. Results There was a significant increase in use of spacers, peak flowmeters, and inhaled corticosteroids. Systemic corticosteroid and methylxanthine use declined. Length of stay was reduced without increasing early hospital readmission rates. Conclusions This program improved the treatment process of adults hospitalized for asthma.
Alternative interpretation of coal liquefaction catalysis by pyrite

Abstract Many authors have asserted that pyrite is a catalyst for the hydroliquefaction of coal. Catalysis by such a low surface area substance, which is not regenerated, seems doubtful. Evidence is presented suggesting that the H 2 S, produced from pyrite decomposition, is responsible for the observed catalytic effects.
Rigidity and ergodicity of randomly cross-linked macromolecules

Les systemes de polymere reticule (gels et vulcanisats), sont en fait des solides amorphes a l'equilibre
Evolutionary Analyses of Staphylococcus aureus Identify Genetic Relationships between Nasal Carriage and Clinical Isolates

Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus has long been hypothesized to be a major vector for the transmission of virulent strains throughout the community. To address this hypothesis, we have analyzed the relatedness between a cohort of nasal carriage strains and clinical isolates to understand better the genetic conformity therein. To assess the relatedness between nasal carriage and clinical isolates of S. aureus, a genetic association study was conducted using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and typing of the hypervariable regions of clumping factor and fibronectin binding protein genes. At all loci analyzed, genetic associations between both nasal carriage and clinical isolates were observed. Computational analyses of MLST data indicate that nasal carriage and clinical isolates belong to the same genetic clusters (clades), despite differences in sequence type assignments. Genetic analyses of the hypervariable regions from the clumping factor and fibronectin binding protein genes revealed that not only do clinically relevant strains belong to identical genetic lineages as the nasal carriage isolates within our cohort, but they also exhibit 100% sequence similarity within these regions. The findings of this report indicate that strains of S. aureus being carried asymptomatically throughout the community via nasal colonization are genetically related to those responsible for high levels of morbidity and mortality.
A tunable Cavity Backed Slot Antenna (CBSA) for close proximity biomedical sensing applications

Presented is a Cavity Backed Slot Antenna (CBSA) designed for integration into a biomedical radiometric sensor. The sensor is intended for close proximity health monitoring applications. An internal probe feed adds a novel approach to biomedical antenna design by isolating antenna feed currents from the body and providing frequency tuning of ~50MHz/mm as a function of probe length. Measurements and simulations performed with the CBSA in close proximity to a skin tissue phantom confirm that the antenna is a good candidate for the intended applications.
Oral ganciclovir dosing in transplant recipients and dialysis patients based on renal function

Background. An oral formulation of ganciclovir (GCV) was recently approved for the prevention of cytomegalovirus disease in solid organ transplant recipients. This study was designed to determine the bioavailability of GCV and to test a dosing algorithm in transplant and dialysis patients with different levels of renal function. Methods. Pharmacokinetic studies were carried out in 23 patients who were either a recipient of an organ transplant or on hemodialysis. Drug dosing was established by the following algorithm based on calculated creatinine clearance (CrCl): CrCl = (140-age) x body weight / 72 x Cr x.85 for women that is, CrCl >50 ml/min, 1000 mg every 8 hr; CrCl of 25-50 ml/min, 1000 mg every 24 hr; CrCl of 10-24 ml/ min, 500 mg every day; CrCl <10 ml/min (or on dialysis), 500 mg every other day after dialysis. GCV was taken within 30 min after a meal. The patients received oral GCV for between 12 days and 14 weeks. Serum specimens (or plasma from patients on hemodialysis) obtained at steady state were analyzed for GCV concentrations by high-performance liquid chromatography. In nine of the transplant recipients, absolute bioavailability was determined by comparing GCV levels after single oral and intravenous doses of GCV. Results. The following GCV concentrations (mean ± SD) were determined: with CrCl of ≥70 ml/min, the minimum steady-state concentration (C min ) and maximum concentration (C max ) were 0.78±0.46 μg/ml and 1.42±0.37 μg/ml, respectively, with a 24-hr area under the concentration time curve (AUC 0-24 ) of 24.7<7.8 μg.hr/ml; with CrCl of 50-69 ml/min, the C min and C max were 1.93±0.48 and 2.57±0.39 μg/ml, respectively, with an AUC 0-24 of 52.1±10.1 μg.hr/ml; with CrCl of 25-50 ml/min, the C min and C max were 0.41±0.27 and 1.17<0.32 μg/ml, respectively, with an AUC 0-24 of 14.6±7.4 μg.hr/ml. For one patient with a CrCl of 23.8 ml/min, the C min and C max were 0.32 and 0.7 μg/ml, respectively, with an AUC 0-24 of 10.7 μg.hr/ml. With CrCl of <10 ml/min, the mean C min and C max were 0.75<0.42 and 1.59<0.55 μg/ml, respectively, with a mean AUC 0-24 of 64.6±18.8 μg.hr/ml. Absolute bioavailability, for the nine patients so analyzed, was 7.2±2.4%. For those patients with end-stage renal failure, GCV concentrations fell during dialysis from a mean of 1.47±0.48 μg/ml before dialysis to 0.69±0.38 μg/ml after dialysis. Conclusions. The bioavailability of oral GCV in transplant patients was similar to that observed in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients. However, levels between 0.5 and 1 μg/ml (within the IC 50 of most cytomegalovirus isolates) could be achieved with tolerable oral doses. The proposed dosing algorithm resulted in adequate levels for patients with CrCl greater than 50 ml/min and for patients on dialysis. For patients with CrCl between 10 and 50 ml/min, the levels achieved were low and these patients would likely benefit from increased doses.
High-dose chemotherapy and progenitor cell support for the treatment of gynecologic malignancies

Abstract Despite advances in therapy over the past several decades, most women with advanced stage cancer will relapse and die from their disease. In recent years, an increasing number of patients with gynecologic cancer have been treated with high-dose chemotherapy and hematopoietic progenitor cell support. Although the response rates are impressively high, the median survival remains low. Thus, the appropriate role and timing of this potentially advantageous, yet very expensive, therapy remain to be determined.
New Essays on the Metaphysics of Moral Responsibility

This is the introduction to a volume of new essays in the metaphysics of moral responsibility by John Martin Fischer, Carl Ginet, Ishtiyaque Haji, Alfred R. Mele, Derk Pereboom, Paul Russell, and Peter van Inwagen. I provide some background for the essays, cover the main debates in the metaphysics of moral responsibility, and emphasize some of the authors’ contributions to this area of philosophy.
Prostate Cancer on the Internet—Information or Misinformation?

Purpose: We assessed the quality of information available to patients on prostate cancer on the Internet.Materials and Methods: The search engine Webcrawler® was used with the search term “prostate cancer” to generate a list of 75 websites which were reviewed for currency, disclosure, attribution, interactivity and content. A rating tool was designed including 50 elements considered essential for a comprehensive review of prostate cancer, and each website was judged for degree of coverage and accuracy (each rated on a scale of 1 to 3) of information for each element.Results: Of the 75 sites 39 contained information about prostate cancer. Only 9 sites indicated a date of last update within 6 months. References were rarely given (in 5) and a disclaimer was provided on less than half of the sites (18). The sites covered a mean of 24 elements (range 6 to 43) with a mean coverage rating of 1.0 to 2.6 (1.8 overall). Of 943 elements covered on 39 sites, 94% were completely correct, 5% were mostly correct and 1% ...
Current concepts in the epizootiology, diagnosis, and economic importance of ovine progressive pneumonia in North America: A review

Abstract Lentiviruses, a genus of retroviruses, include the agents that cause ovine progressive pneumonia or maedi. Infection is characterized by long incubation periods and insidious, slowly progressive clinical courses resulting in chronic degenerative diseases. The ovine lentiviruses are widespread among sheep in North America, yet their significance to livestock production is currently not well defined. Lentiviruses persist and replicate in the presence of host specific immune responses and cause immune-mediated lesions in several organ systems. Due to this unusual relationship with their host, the diagnosis, control and treatment of these infections is difficult and expensive. Scientific studies on the biology of ovine lentiviruses (OvLV) and their complex relationship with the host are yielding new approaches to the detection of infected animals and methods for study of the epizootiology and control of OvLV-related diseases. We summarize some of the known biological properties of the virus, spectrum of clinical features of the diseases, current concepts of disease pathogenesis, economic importance, and strategies used to diagnose and control OvLV infections.
The dynamic biliary epithelia: Molecules, pathways, and disease

Cholangiocytes, the cells lining bile ducts, are a heterogenous, highly dynamic population of epithelial cells. While these cells comprise a small fraction of the total cellular component of the liver, they perform the essential role of bile modification and transport of biliary and blood constituents. From a pathophysiological standpoint, cholangiocytes are the target of a diverse group of biliary disorders, collectively referred to as the cholangiopathies. To date, the cause of most cholangiopathies remains obscure. It is known, however, that cholangiocytes exist in an environment rich in potential mediators of cellular injury, express receptors that recognize potential injurious insults, and participate in portal tract repair processes following hepatic injury. As such, cholangiocytes may not be only a passive target, but are likely directly and actively involved in the pathogenesis of cholangiopathies. Here, we briefly summarize the characteristics of the reactive cholangiocyte and cholangiocyte responses to potentially injurious endogenous and exogenous molecules, and in addition, present emerging concepts in our understanding of the etiopathogenesis of several cholangiopathies.
The metabolic syndrome and risk of incident colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND The authors tested the hypothesis that the metabolic syndrome (≥3 of the following components: high blood pressure, increased waist circumference, hypertriglyceridemia, low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or diabetes/hyperglycemia) is a risk factor for colorectal cancer. METHODS Data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) multicenter prospective cohort study were used. Metabolic syndrome components and other risk factors were collected during 1987 to 1989 from the 14,109 men and women in these analyses. One hundred ninety-four incident colorectal cancers were identified through the Year 2000. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to examine associations. RESULTS Baseline metabolic syndrome (≥3 components vs. 0 components) had a positive association with age-adjusted and gender-adjusted colorectal cancer incidence (relative risk [RR], 1.49; 95% confidence interval [95%CI], 1.0-2.4); this association was attenuated after multivariate adjustment (RR, 1.39; 95%CI, 0.9-2.2). There was a dose-response association between colorectal cancer incidence and the number of metabolic syndrome components present at baseline (P for trend = .006) after multivariate adjustment. Analysis of gender revealed that the multivariate-adjusted association of metabolic syndrome with colorectal cancer was stronger in men (RR, 1.78; 95%CI, 1.0-3.6) and weaker in women (RR, 1.16; 95%CI, 0.6-2.2). CONCLUSIONS In this population-based cohort, metabolic syndrome was a risk factor for incident colorectal cancer in men but not women. Evidence is growing that the metabolic syndrome may be a marker for a physiologic milieu of growth that encourages tumor initiation, promotion, and/or progression. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Patterns of Adjustment to Violence in Families of the Mentally Ill

Violent behavior of the psychologically handicapped individual and its effect on the family was studied using a large national sample (N = 1,156). Subjects answered a questionnaire concerning their relatives' behavior and their own reactions to aggressive and destructive acts. Approximately 38% of the sample was classified as violent. The variables that best discriminated between violent and nonviolent individuals were education, compliance with medication, alcohol abuse, employment, number of hospitalizations, income, and age. Resources and violence were inversely related. It was found that the higher the income, the better the self-reported level of family adjustment. Living in or out of the family home had no effect on adjustment. Families of nonviolent relatives reported a higher level of adjustment both in the first year of illness and at present. When families were asked how they altered their behavior in response to violence, five categories of response were reported: no alteration, self-restrictio...
Grounding the figure: Surface attachment influences figure-ground organization

We investigated whether the lower region effect on figure-ground organization (Vecera, Vogel, & Woodman, 2002) would generalize to contextual depth planes in vertical orientations, as is predicted by a theoretical analysis based on the ecological statistics of edges arising from objects that are attached to surfaces of support. Observers viewed left/right ambiguous figure-ground displays that occluded middle sections of four types of contextual inducers: two types of attached, receding, vertical planes (walls) that used linear perspective and/or texture gradients to induce perceived depth and two types of similar trapezoidal control figures that used either uniform color or random texture to reduce or eliminate perceived depth. The results showed a reliable bias toward seeing as “figure” the side of the figure-ground display that was attached to the receding depth plane, but no such bias for the corresponding side in either of the control conditions. The results are interpreted as being consistent with the attachment hypothesis that the lower region cue to figure-ground organization results from ecological biases in edge interpretation that arise when objects are attached to supporting surfaces in the terrestrial gravitational field.