cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of Egr-1 in cAMP-dependent protein kinase regulation of the phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase gene.

The molecular mechanism by which cAMP activates the rat phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT) gene was examined by transient transfection of the wild-type rat PNMT promoter-luciferase reporter gene construct pGL3RP893 into PC12 cells. Forskolin treatment (10 microM) of the transfected cells for 3--6 h maximally induced luciferase threefold. Induction by forskolin was mimicked by the cAMP analog, 8-Br-cAMP, and prevented in PC12 cells pretreated with the protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor H-89 or co-transfected with an expression construct for PKI, a polypeptide inhibitor of PKA. Furthermore, forskolin did not activate the PNMT promoter when the 893 bp PNMT promoter-reporter gene construct was transfected into the PKA-deficient cell line, A126. Detailed examination of the forskolin responsiveness of PNMT constructs harboring > or = 60 bp and or =60 bp. Within this region of the promoter lies a functional binding element for Egr-1, a transcriptional activator of the PNMT gene. Forskolin treatment of PC12 cells also rapidly increased nuclear levels of Egr-1 and the catalytic subunit of PKA (PKA-C), with the rise in PKA-C preceding that of Egr-1. Mutation of the --165 bp Egr-1 site markedly decreased forskolin activation of the PNMT promoter. These findings demonstrate that the rat PNMT gene promoter can be activated via the cAMP-PKA signal transduction pathway, mediated by the immediate early gene transcription factor, Egr-1.
Intrinsic and synaptic mechanisms of hypothalamic neurons studied with slice and explant preparations.

Abstract The use of slice and explant preparations has allowed major advances in our understanding of the membrane physiology of mammalian hypothalamic neurons. This article will review intracellular electrophysiological studies of neurons in or immediately surrounding the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei. Considerable information is now available on the intrinsic membrane mechanisms that control action potential generation and burst firing in magnocellular neuroendocrine cells (MNCs) within these nuclei. Neurons surrounding the paraventricular nucleus have different electrical properties than the MNCs, including low-threshold Ca2+ spikes and pronounced anomalous rectification. Bicuculline and kynurenic acid strongly depress fast IPSPs and EPSPs in MNCs, thus suggesting that inhibitory and excitatory amino acids mediate fast synaptic transmission in the hypothalamus. The effects of neuromodulators, such as noradrenaline and opioid peptides, have also been examined. Noradrenaline excites supraoptic neurons and leads to phasic firing through an alpha-1 mechanism and decreased K+-conductance. Opioid peptides act directly on μ-receptors to hyperpolarize about half of the neurons through an increased K+-conductance. In conclusion, using the magnocellular neuroendocrine system as a model, in vitro slice and explant preparations have allowed the characterization of electrophysiological properties, the identification of neurotransmitters for synaptic events, and studies on the mechanism of action of neuromodulators.
Outcomes of liver transplantation for hepatitis B: A single-center study of 35 patients

Abstract Background Results of liver transplantation (LT) for hepatitis B (HBV) have improved in the past decade but recently drug resistance has been described, the clinical significance of which is unclear. The aims of this study were to evaluate outcomes of LT for HBV and describe the prevalence of drug resistance. Methods A retrospective chart analysis and review of the organ transplant database was performed to identify all patients transplanted for HBV between December 1982 and April 2004 who survived more than 3 months. Results Thirty-five patients were transplanted for HBV during this period: 27 men and 8 women. Median age at LT was 48.8 years (range 18.9 to 74.3). Four patients were transplanted for fulminant liver failure and 31 for decompensated cirrhosis. Intramuscular HBIG was administered to 8 patients and intravenous HBIG to 32 patients, data were unavailable for three patients. Lamivudine was prescribed for 18 patients (58%) pre-OLT and for 31 patients (88.6%) post-LT. Drug-resistant HBV developed in two patients (5.71%) receiving lamivudine and HBIG. Adefovir substitution resulted in improvement in liver function tests, in HBV DNA and in histology in both patients. Twenty-five patients are currently alive with and 1-year survival of 95% and a 5-year survival of 75%. Causes of death were respiratory failure ( n = 3), metastatic cancer of unknown primary ( n = 2), renal failure ( n = 2), sepsis ( n = 1), cerebrovascular accident ( n = 1), and cerebral edema ( n = 1). Conclusions LT for HBV shows survival rates comparable to other liver transplant recipients. Lamivudine resistance was rare in this series but responded to adefovir substitution.
Clinton Well Performance Predictions Based On Flow Tests - A Well Study

Very tight low permeability reservoirs are generally completed by hydraulically fracturing the well during completion. When the right combination of reservoir low permeability and fracture size exists in a well, it is possible to recognize linear transient flow behavior early and radial transient flow behavior later during a drawdown or buildup test. These data then can be analyzed to determine the size of the fracture and predict the behavior of the well during its producing life. It also is possible to use isochronal data for predicting the behavior of a gas well even though radial flow has not been obtained by the isochronal time employed.
An Operational Approach for Building Learning Environments Supporting Cognitive Flexibility

Constructivism is a learning theory that states that people learn by actively constructing their own knowledge, based on prior knowledge. A significant number of ICT-based constructivist learning systems have been proposed in recent years. According to our analysis, those systems exhibit only a few constructivist principles, and a critical problem related to the design and use of this kind of systems has been the lack of a practical means to facilitate the instructional design process. Our research aims to help designing truly constructivist learning environments. Our approach is based on a set of operational criteria for certain aspects of constructivism: We use these criteria as a useful pedagogical framework to provide easy-to-use tools and operational guidelines for teachers to build ICT-based constructivist learning environments. One facet often mentioned as being strongly relevant to constructivism is cognitive flexibility. This paper presents COFALE—a new, domain-independent, and open-source e-learning platform that could be used to devise learning conditions fostering cognitive flexibility—and an example of its use: the design of a course on recursion in computing science.
A Cis-Acting Locus That Promotes Crossing over between X Chromosomes in Caenorhabditis Elegans

This study reports the characterization of a cis-acting locus on the Caenorhabditis elegans X chromosome that is crucial for promoting normal levels of crossing over specifically between the X homologs and for ensuring their proper disjunction at meiosis I. The function of this locus is disrupted by the mutation me8, which maps to the extreme left end of the X chromosome within the region previously implicated by studies of X; A translocations and X duplications to contain a meiotic pairing site. Hermaphrodites homozygous for a deletion of the locus (Df/Df) or heterozygous for a deletion and the me8 mutation (me8/Df) exhibit extremely high level of X chromosome nondisjunction at the reductional division; this is correlated with a sharp decrease in crossing over between the X homologs as evidenced both by reductions in genetic map distances and by the presence of achiasmate chromosomes in cytological preparations of oocyte nuclei. Duplications of the wild-type region that are unlinked to the X chromosome cannot complement the recombination and disjunction defects in trans, indicating that this region must be present in cis to the X chromosome to ensure normal levels of crossing over and proper homolog disjunction. me8 homozygotes exhibit an altered distribution of crossovers along the X chromosome that suggests a defect in processivity along the X chromosome of an event that initiates at the chromosome end. Models are discussed in which the cis-acting locus deleted by the Dfs functions as a meiotic pairing center that recruits trans-acting factors onto the chromosomes to nucleate assembly of a crossover-competent complex between the X homologs. This pairing center might function in the process of homolog recognition, or in the initiation of homologous synapsis.
CP violation in a supersymmetric SO(10)×U(2) F model

A model based on SUSY $\mathrm{SO}(10)$ combined with $U(2)$ family symmetry constructed recently by the authors is generalized to include phases in the mass matrices leading to $\mathrm{CP}$ violation. In contrast with the commonly used effective operator approach, $\overline{126}$-dimensional Higgs fields are utilized to construct the Yukawa sector. R-parity symmetry is thus preserved at low energies. The symmetric mass textures arising from the left-right symmetry breaking chain of $\mathrm{SO}(10)$ give rise to very good predictions for quark and lepton masses and mixings. The prediction for $\mathrm{sin}2\ensuremath{\beta}$ agrees with the average of current bounds from BaBar and Belle. In the neutrino sector, our predictions are in good agreement with results from atmospheric neutrino experiments. Our model accommodates both the LOW and QVO solutions to the solar neutrino anomaly; the matrix element for neutrinoless double beta decay is highly suppressed. The leptonic analogue of the Jarlskog invariant, ${J}_{\mathrm{CP}}^{l},$ is predicted to be ${O(10}^{\ensuremath{-}2}).$
Why Is There So Much Christianity in the United States? A Reply to Sommerville

If we are going to explain the slow pace of de-Christianization for the United States relative to other industrialized societies in the North Atlantic West, we might well begin with the church-state relationship. The absence of an established church in the United States has enabled religious affiliation to function, like other voluntary organizations in “civil society,” as mediators between the individual and the nation. I conimented on this rather old idea in a book C. John Sommerville is kind enough to cite in another connection, Science, Jews, and Secular Culture, but since he does not take up this point, I will develop it a bit further here, before reacting to Sommerville's other concerns as expressed in his refreshingly fair-minded rejoinder to my essay in the March 2001 issue of Church History.
What did spot hide?: a question-answering game for preschool children

Early literacy is critical to child development, and determines a child's later educational and life opportunities. Moreover, preschool children are incessantly inquisitive, and will readily engage in question answering and asking activities if given the opportunity. We argue here that question asking/answering technologies can play a major role in early literacy. We describe the design and evaluation of a conversational agent called Spot, with the goal of engaging children in a 20-questions game. Towards this goal, we conducted a feasibility study to determine if children's questions are "on-topic" and suitable for ASR/dialogue systems. We evaluated Spot's performance at conducting a game of 20-questions against that of a human partner.
Activation, Inhibition, and Regiospecificity of the Lysophospholipase Activity of the 85-kDa Group IV Cytosolic Phospholipase A2

The 85-kDa Group IV calcium-dependent cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) catalyzes the hydrolysis of palmitoylglycero-3-phosphocholine to palmitic acid and glycero-3-phosphocholine. Palmitoylglycero-3-phosphocholine exists as a 9:1 equilibrium mixture of the sn-1 and sn-2 isomers, with the fatty acid predominately at the sn-1 position. We have monitored this reaction by 31P NMR to determine which palmitoylglycero-3-phosphocholine isomer is processed by cPLA2. When both lysophospholipid isomers are present in a 1:1 mixture under conditions in which acyl migration is minimized, cPLA2 rapidly consumes both isomers. However, 1-palmitoylglycero-3-phosphocholine is consumed seven times faster than the 2-palmitoylglycero-3-phosphocholine isomer. We have previously reported that this lysophospholipase reaction is accelerated in the presence of glycerol. We now find that this apparent increase in activity is accounted for, in part, by glycerol acting as an alternative acceptor for the cleaved fatty acid, as is the case for this enzyme's phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity. In contrast, dioleoylglycerol, which accelerates the PLA2 activity, does not act as an acceptor in either the lysophospholipase or the PLA2 reaction, but can affect enzyme activities by altering substrate presentation. We also show that a known inhibitor of the PLA2 activity of cPLA2 is able to inhibit its lysophospholipase activity with a similar IC50 to its PLA2 activity. However, the effect of inhibitors is dependent on the manner in which they are presented to the enzyme.
The termination of the α-Al2O3 (0001) surface: a LEED crystallography determination

Abstract We have performed a tensor low-energy electron diffraction (TLEED) determination of 10 diffracted beams at off-normal incidence from the (0001) surface of α-Al2O3 produced by oxygen plasma cleaning/annealing cycles. Structures with single domain O- or Al-terminated surface layers give a poor agreement (Pendry R-factor=0.42). Such domains are related by steps in the (11 2 0) direction that produce an extra plane of symmetry in the LEED pattern. Allowing a mixture of domains due to steps produces a good agreement. An optimized mixture of 2:1 O/Al-terminated domains lowers the R-factor to 0.26 with an inner potential of 19.2 eV. At the R-factor minimum, we find that in both domains, the outermost atomic layer relaxes outward, with some twisting and relief of buckling in deeper layers. An outward relaxation of the top layer is in disagreement with theoretical predictions. However, such predictions are for vacuum-cleaved surfaces that are not realistic descriptions of the surface used in our experiment.
Oil Prices and Interstate Confl ict Behavior

Anecdotal evidence suggests high oil prices embolden leaders in oil-rich states to pursue more aggressive foreign policies. Th is article tests the conjecture in a sample of 153 countries for the time period 1947-2001. It fi nds strong evidence of a contingent eff ect of oil prices on interstate disputes, with high oil prices associated with signifi cant increases in dispute behavior among oil-exporting states, while having either a negative or null eff ect on dispute behavior in nonexporting states. Th is publication has been subjected to a prepublication peer review intended to ensure analytical quality. Th e views expressed are those of the author. Th is publication is part of the overall program of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, as endorsed by its Board of Directors, but it does not necessarily refl ect the views of individual members of the Board or of the Institute's staff or management. Th e Institute is a private, nonprofi t institution for rigorous, intellectually open, and honest study and discussion of international economic policy. Its purpose is to identify and analyze important issues to making globalization benefi cial and sustainable for the people of the United States and the world and then to develop and communicate practical new approaches for dealing with them. Th e Institute is completely nonpartisan. Th e Institute's work is funded by a highly diverse group of philanthropic foundations, private corporations, and interested individuals, as well as income on its capital fund. About 35 percent of the Institute resources in our latest fi scal year were provided by contributors from outside the United States. A list of all our fi nancial supporters for the preceding year is posted at http://piie.com/supporters.cfm.
Antibiotic prophylaxis of wound infections in skin surgery. Is 4 days too much

In the article published in this issue of theArchives, Bencini and colleagues 1 report a large experience that demonstrates convincingly that prophylactic use of antibiotics can reduce the incidence of wound infection following the excision of skin lesions. The antibiotic regimens chosen for comparison differ from those often used and do not permit comparison with, or evaluation of, more commonly applied practices in surgical prophylaxis in the United States. Two thousand one hundred sixty-five patients scheduled to have excision of skin lesions were randomized to receive no antibiotics (group A); intramuscular cefazolin, 1 g every 12 hours, beginning after the procedure and continuing for 3 days (group B); 250 mg of topical cefazolin powder applied into the wound during the procedure only (group C); or intramuscular cefazolin, 1 g every 12 hours, started 2 days before the procedure and continued 2 days after the procedure (group D). The authors
Pulmonary Emphysema, Cardio-Respiratory Disturbance*

Pulmonary emphysema, as the term is generally used clinically, refers to an overinfiation or distention of the lungs (localized or diffuse), characterized by a relative increase in the amount of air which cannot be blown out with a forced expiration. The residual air capacity plus the vital capacity equals total observed lung capacity (TLC) for the individual, and in pulmonary emphysema the TLC value may be the normal predicted, increased or decreased.’ Wide individual variations of the total lung capacity have been noted in patients with pulmonary emphysema, in some cases the TLC was increased as much as 40 per cent above the normal predicted, and in other cases decreased more than 65 per cent below the normal predicted. In order to determine the total lung capacity, the residual air, that which remains at the end of a forced expiration, must be measured and added to the vital capacity. The severity of emphysema cannot be evaluated unless the residual air be considered in relation to TLC, for although the residual volume may be less than the predicted, the ratio to TLC may be markedly increased in some cases because vital capacity is greatly reduced. Even when the absolute value of the residual air is markedly increased above the predicted normal, in order to assess accurately the degree of pulmonary emphysema present, this volume must be expressed as a ratio or percentage of total lung capacity. If the residual air occupies 35 to 45 per cent of total lung capacity a moderate, but significant degree of pulmonary emphysema exists, from 45 to 55 per cent an advanced or severe degree of pulmonary emphysema is present and above 55 per cent there is a far advanced or very severe degree of pulmonary emphysema.2 The normal ratio of residual air is less than 35 per cent of TLC in the 15 to 70 year age group.3 The residual per cent of total lung capacity presents a reliable consistent reference measurement, and in general the average ratio does not change significantly from the supine to standing or even walking.4’ � The functional residual capacity (FRC) does vary significantly from the supine to the standing position because of the shift in the level of the diaphragm which changes the expiratory reserve air, and the activity of exercise further alters the FRC to various degrees. In emphysema hyperventilation is the compensatory mechanism which attempts to maintain the mean alveolar PO2 as near the normal level as possible and to blow off CO2. Hyperventilation may meet the demands at rest if the emphysema is not too severe, but with exercise the hyper
Computation of the Minimum Data Storage for Multi-Dimensional Signal Processing

The amount of the data storage in signal processing systems, whose behavior is described by loop-organized algorithmic specifications, has an important impact on the overall energy consumption, chip area, as well as system performance. This paper presents a non-scalar approach for computing the minimum storage requirements in high-level procedural specifications, where the main data structures are multi-dimensional arrays. This methodology uses both algebraic techniques specific to the data-flow analysis used in modern compilers and, also, more recent advances in the theory of polyhedra. In contrast with all the previous works which are only estimation methods, this approach can perform the exact computation of the minimum data storage even for applications with numerous loop nests and complex array references.
Determination of the optical functions of transparent glasses by using spectroscopic ellipsometry

Two-channel spectroscopic polarization-modulation ellipsometry measurements have been made on four different glasses (fused SiO2, finely annealed BK-7, a lead-indium–phosphate glass, and a germanium–arsenic–selenium glass). We show that this technique is sensitive to thin surface layers and that these surface layers can be modeled by using the Bruggeman effective-medium theory with 50% glass and 50% voids. By correcting the experimental spectra for this surface layer, we determined the refractive index of the sample within an error of ±0.002 in the transparent region. For wavelength regions where the material is normally opaque, the ellipsometric data can be corrected for this overlayer, thereby increasing the accuracy of the determination of both the refractive index and the extinction coefficient.
The role of K+ and Cl− conductances in chloride secretion by the opercular epithelium

The opercular epithelium of the teleost Fundulus heteroclitus, when mounted in a lucite chamber under short-circuited conditions, secretes Cl− at a rate equivalent to the short-circuit current (Isc). The transepithelial Na+ movements are passive and proceed by a paracellular pathway. The addition of 2 × 10−3 M Ba2+ to the serosal bathing solution inhibited the Isc 76.8% with no effect on the transepithelial conductance (Gt). The addition of 5 × 10−4 M Cu2+ to the mucosal bathing solution inhibited the Isc 79.6% and reduced the Gt 35.6%. These inhibitory effects of Ba2+ and Cu2+ on the Isc were initiated within 1 minute after exposure with maximum effects occurring within 20 and 30 minutes, respectively. Simultaneous 36Cl− and 22Na+ unidirectional fluxes were performed on paired epithelia from the same fish. Serosal Ba2+ and mucosal Cu2+ inhibited the Cl− secretory flux 30.2 and 58.9%, respectively. The resulting net Cl− flux after inhibition was not significantly different from the mean measured Isc. Neither ion had significant effects on the Cl− influx (mucosa to serosa) or the unidirectional Na fluxes. These results indicated that the effects of both Ba2+ and Cu2+ were most likely exclusive to the transcellular Cl− pathway. Ba2+ is proposed to inhibit Cl− secretion by blocking the basolateral K+ channels, depolarizing the cell, and reducing the electrochemical driving force for Cl− across the apical membrane. Cu2+ is proposed to inhibit Cl− secretion by blocking the apical membrane Cl− channels. The results are in keeping with the proposed mechanism for Cl− secretion by indicating that the Cl− exit step across the apical membrane occurs via Cl− conductive channels and is driven passively by a favorable electrical gradient.
The Shape of the Tallest Column: Corrected

Our summary of the work of Keller andNiord son ( J. Math. Mech. 16, pp. 433-446, 1966) was inaccurate. We offer a correction.
‘Sedentary behaviour counselling’: the next step in lifestyle counselling in primary care; pilot findings from the Rapid Assessment Disuse Index (RADI) study

Background Accumulating evidence emphasises a relationship between prolonged sitting and increased risk for cardiometabolic disorders and premature death irrespective of the protective effects of physical activity. Primary care physicians have the potential to play a key role in modifying patients’ sedentary behaviour alongside physical activity. Methods A pilot study examining sedentary behaviour and physical activity counselling in a primary care clinic. A total of 157 patients completed a detailed survey related to lifestyle counselling received from their primary care physician. We analysed these responses to describe counselling practices within the 5A framework, and to examine correlates (ie, patients’ demographics, sedentary behaviour and physical activity and clinical variables) related to receiving counselling. Results A total of 10% received general advice to decrease sitting time, in comparison with 53% receiving general physical activity counselling. None, however, received a written plan pertaining to sedentary behaviour whereas 14% received a written physical activity prescription. Only 2% were provided with specific strategies for sedentary behaviour change in comparison with 10% for physical activity change. Multivariable analysis revealed that patients who were obese were more likely to receive counselling to decrease sitting (OR=7.0; 95% CI 1.4 to 35.2). In comparison, higher odds for receiving physical activity counselling were associated with being younger, aged 40–59 years (OR=2.4; 95% CI 1.1 to 5.4); and being a non-smoker (OR=6.1; 95% CI 1.3 to 28.4). Conclusions This study is the first to assess sedentary behaviour counselling practices in primary care and such practices appear to be infrequent. Future research should attempt to establish a ‘knowledge base’ to inform development of sedentary behaviour interventions, which should be followed by testing feasibility, efficacy, and subsequent effectiveness of these programmes in a clinical setting.
The analysis of ordered changes of gene expression and gene-gene co-expression patterns

Many microarray gene expression data sets have multiple ordered sample groups. Genes showing increasing/decreasing differential expression or differential gene-gene co-expression patterns can be biologically interesting. Statistically, we can conduct the analysis of ordered changes of population means and ordered changes of regression slopes. The well-developed isotonic regression can be considered for the analysis of differential expression. However, its extension to the analysis of differential gene-gene co-expression patterns has not been well addressed in the literature. We pointed out that the traditional isotonic regression can also be simply extended for the detection of differential gene-gene co-expression patterns after a simple data transformation. A prostate cancer data set was considered as an application. An improvement of false positive control was observed when the order restricted hypothesis testing was considered. Several interesting genes were also identified in our analysis.
The Core Assessment Program for Surgical Interventional Therapies in Parkinson's Disease (CAPSIT-PD): Tolerability of Preoperative Neuropsychological Testing for Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson's Disease.

Objective We examined tolerability of preoperative neuropsychological testing (the Core Assessment Program for Surgical Interventional Therapies in Parkinson's Disease [CAPSIT-PD] protocol) for DBS. We also examined factors that may influence tolerability, including fatigue, global cognitive function, depression, and patient-based characteristics. Methods In this retrospective study, we reviewed preoperative neuropsychological testing results from 35 patients who were scheduled to undergo DBS. We examined the overall tolerability of the full battery and the tolerability of each test. We placed attention on a test's placement in the fixed order of the battery to measure whether there was a clustering of poorly tolerated tests toward the end of the battery as an indication of fatigue. Spearman's rank correlation was used to determine the relationship between tolerability and (1) global cognitive function, (2) depression, and (3) patient-based characteristics. Results Fourteen subjects (40%) were able to tolerate the full battery and completed all 10 tests. The domains that were least tolerated pertained to executive function and procedural memory. There was a consistent time-based tolerability pattern that was observed. There was a significant correlation between tolerability and global cognitive function (ρ = 0.344; P = 0.043), but not depression (P = 0.197). There was a significant correlation between tolerability and age (ρ = −0.491; P = 0.003) and disease duration (ρ = −0.442; P = 0.008), but not UPDRS-III scores (P = 0.284). Conclusion Our results have shown limited tolerability of the full neuropsychological battery as outlined by the CAPSIT-PD protocol. We suggest the consideration of updating the neuropsychological assessment used in the CAPSIT-PD protocol.
Dynamics of neural populations: Stability and synchrony

A population formulation of neuronal activity is employed to study an excitatory network of (spiking) neurons receiving external input as well as recurrent feedback. At relatively low levels of feedback, the network exhibits time stationary asynchronous behavior. A stability analysis of this time stationary state leads to an analytical criterion for the critical gain at which time asynchronous behavior becomes unstable. At instability the dynamics can undergo a supercritical Hopf bifurcation and the population passes to a synchronous state. Under different conditions it can pass to synchrony through a subcritical Hopf bifurcation. And at high gain a network can reach a runaway state, in finite time, after which the network no longer supports bounded solutions. The introduction of time delayed feedback leads to a rich range of phenomena. For example, for a given external input, increasing gain produces transition from asynchrony, to synchrony, to asynchrony and finally can lead to divergence. Time delay is also shown to strongly mollify the amplitude of synchronous oscillations. Perhaps, of general importance, is the result that synchronous behavior can exist only for a narrow range of time delays, which range is an order of magnitude smaller than periods of oscillation.
Sodium thiosulfate: mythical treatment for a mysterious disease?

Calcification of the medial layer of arteries, often termed Monckeberg’s arteriosclerosis , is common in CKD and present in most patients with ESRD ([1][1]). Although it likely has detrimental long-term consequences, it is generally a chronic, asymptomatic condition. However, in a few patients,
Urinary paraben concentrations and in vitro fertilization outcomes among women from a fertility clinic.

Objective To explore the relationship between urinary paraben concentrations and IVF outcomes among women attending an academic fertility center. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Fertility clinic in a hospital setting. Patient(s) A total of 245 women contributing 356 IVF cycles. Intervention(s) None. Quantification of urinary concentrations of parabens by isotope-dilution tandem mass spectrometry, and assessment of clinical endpoints of IVF treatments abstracted from electronic medical records at the academic fertility center. Main Outcome Measure(s) Total and mature oocyte counts, proportion of high-quality embryos, fertilization rates, and rates of implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live births. Result(s) The geometric means of the urinary concentrations of methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben in our study population were 133, 24, and 1.5 μg/L, respectively. In models adjusted for age, body mass index, race/ethnicity, smoking status, and primary infertility diagnosis, urinary methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben concentrations were not associated with IVF outcomes, specifically total and mature oocyte counts, proportion of high embryo quality, and fertilization rates. Moreover, no significant associations were found between urinary paraben concentrations and rates of implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live births. Conclusion(s) Urinary paraben concentrations were not associated with IVF outcomes among women undergoing infertility treatments.
Social/Emotional Characteristics of Adults with Learning Disabilities

This review of the literature on adults with learning disabilities focuses on social/emotional character­ istics. The available literature is discussed in four broad categories: descriptive studies without a control group, studies involving control groups, studies of successful versus unsuccessful adults, and studies of adults in different service settings. This literature is then summarized from a life span point of view. Implications for future research and service providers are discussed.
Effects of Harsh and Unpredictable Environments in Adolescence on Development of Life History Strategies: A Longitudinal Test of an Evolutionary Model

The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health data were used to test predictions from life history theory. We hypothesized that (1) in young adulthood an emerging life history strategy would exist as a common factor underlying many life history traits (e.g., health, relationship stability, economic success), (2) both environmental harshness and unpredictability would account for unique variance in expression of adolescent and young adult life history strategies, and (3) adolescent life history traits would predict young adult life history strategy. These predictions were supported. The current findings suggest that the environmental parameters of harshness and unpredictability have concurrent effects on life history development in adolescence, as well as longitudinal effects into young adulthood. In addition, life history traits appear to be stable across developmental time from adolescence into young adulthood.
Authority, Freedom, and the Guilty Mind

Imagine an actor who commits a crime in thrall to a powerful desire. Think, for example, about those we call addicts, phobics, maniacs, philiacs, provokees, and so forth. Do any conditions exist under which such actors should be immune to criminal liability when they choose to commit a crime in order to mollify their enthralling desire? Yes. An actor should be immune to criminal liability when, assuming he freely chooses to commit a crime (and thus satisfies the demand that his act be guilty or his actus reus), he nonetheless fails to manifest a guilty mind or mens rea, i.e., his choice to commit the crime reflected no ill will for the state’s authority or its criminal laws. I doubt this condition will obtain very often, but when it does, any actor fulfilling it is beyond the state’s authority to punish.
The State of Food Mapping: Academic Literature Since 2008 and Review of Online GIS-based Food Mapping Resources

Various mapping methodologies have been used to explore complex social, economic, and environmental components of the food system. Planning scholars, geographers, public health officials, and community organizations have created maps to better understand disparities in the food environment. This review provides an analysis of the nature of geographic information systems mapping in scholarly research and web-based food mapping since 2008. Our review of thirty-four journal articles and seventy web-mapping projects covers the purpose, study area, topics, methods, and application of food mapping research and initiatives. Scholars and community stakeholders will benefit from this review of methodologies to inform their research and policy initiatives.
Cross Product Identities in Arbitrary Dimension

where in (18) the determinant is to be interpreted formally in the manner of elementary calculus texts. While several reasonably elementary proofs of the identities (1) and (2) are given in [1] and [3], only one ([3], p. 624, pp. 627-629) is coordinate-free and seems to generalize to higher dimensions. However, this argument contains a logical flaw which cannot trivially be patched in more than three dimensions. Since this line of reasoning is fairly common, we briefly review it here. Clearly, both sides of (1) are vectors orthogonal to a and lie in the plane spanned by b and c. The claim is then made that this implies that the r.h.s. of (1) is a scalar multiple of the l.h.s.. The problem with this argument arises when a is perpendicular to the plane spanned by b and c. If this occurs, any vector in this plane satisfies the condition of being orthogonal to a, so we cannot trivially deduce that the r.h.s. is a scalar multiple of the l.h.s.. Of course, in this case, both sides are clearly zero. In the analogous
Protection of lungs from hyperoxic injury: gene expression analysis of cyclosporin A therapy.

We have previously shown that cyclosporin A (CsA), an inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2B (calcineurin), attenuates hyperoxia-induced reductions in murine lung compliance. CsA protected against hyp...
Study on Gas Chromatography Determination of Air Cyanide in Workshop

Objective To establish a gas chromatography(GC) method for determination of cyanide in air. Method Derivatives of headspace sampling techniques were adopted to perform quantitative measurement of the sample by GC. Results The minimal detection limit of the method was 0.028 μg.If sampling 3L,the minimal detectable concentration was 0.009 mg/m3,and the linear range was 0.1～6 μ g.The correlation coefficient was r = 0.9997.The regression equation was Y = 71.5 x +9.68. Conclusions The method is easy-to-handle and has strong interference capability,wide linear range,low detection limit.It is an ideal detection method for determination of cyanide in air
Advance of tbe therapeutic vaccine against cervical cancer

Cervical cancer, one of the most common cancers in woman, is closely associated with human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. The lasting expressions of HPV gene E6 and E7 are required for maintaining the transforming behavior of cervical carcinoma cell. Therefore, E6 and E7 are popular targets for immunotherapy of cervical cancer. Great advance in therapeutic vaccine for HPV gene E6 and E7 has been achieved in recent years, and in the article the advance of the therapeutic vaccine against cervical cancer is reviewed.
94 ALLOTRANSPLANTATION WITH REDUCED INTENSITY CONDITIONING THAT INCLUDES ALEMTUZUMAB LESSENS INCIDENCE OF RELAPSE AND TRANSPLANT-RELATED MORTALITY IN PATIENTS WITH HIGH-RISK MYELOID DISEASES.

Patients with high-risk myeloid disease can be transplanted with reduced-intensity conditioning regimens that maximize duration of remission while minimizing transplant-related mortality. Incidence of survival, relapse, tempo of engraftment, and incidence of grades I-II and III-IV acute GVHD were evaluated. Three conditioning regimens have been utilized: fludarabine 30 mg/m2 3 5 d, melphalan 140 mg/m2 3 1 d in all groups, and alemtuzumab 20 mg/d 3 5 d (Group 1), 3 3 d (Group 2), and 3 2 d (Group 3). Fifteen patients (median age 48, range 24-58 years) were in the study. Twelve patients had AML, two had CML, and one had MDS. Six patients were in CR at the time of transplant and nine had relapsed or refractory disease. Patients were consecutively assigned to Group 1 (seven patients), Group 2 (five patients), and Group 3 (three patients). Stem cell sources included BM (four patients), PBPC (10 patients), and one cord blood transplant, related (6 patients) and unrelated (9 patients). Match grade was 6/6 for 13 transplants, 5/6 for one, and 4/6 for the cord blood. GVHD prophylaxis was standard-dose cyclosporine or tacrolimus and MMF, tapering after day 60. Median follow-up was 7 months (range 1.5-30 months). There were no WBC engraftment failures and neutrophil (ANC > 500/dL) engraftment occurred at a median of 13 days (range 10-48 days). Three patients had grade I-II acute GVHD and one had chronic GVHD. One had grade III acute GVHD. Relapse occurred in three patients and they received DLI immunotherapy. Twelve patients survived to day 100 (80%). Four were alive at 1 year and four others who are still alive have not reached the 1-year mark. Four of the seven patients died with residual disease (26%) and three died with treatment-related toxicity within the first 100 days (20%). Eight of 15 patients remain in follow-up. We conclude that the application of fludarabine, melphalan, and alemtuzumab conditioning regimens has been successful in these high-risk patients, with a low incidence of acute GVHD (27%), no neutrophil engraftment failures, and a low incidence of relapsed disease (20%).
Moral stage theory.

The history of sciencewill record the latter decades of the twentieth century as the apotheosis of the cognitive-developmental tradition in developmental psychology. This tradition has its obvious source in Piaget’s genetic epistemology and in his remarkable research program on the ontogenesis of children’s logicomathematical and scientiﬁc reasoning. But the extension of the tradition’s inﬂuence to matters of socialization, and to domains of social cognitive development, owe as much to the work of Lawrence Kohlberg and his colleagues. Piaget (1932/1965) did, of course, pioneer the study of moral judgement in children, yet it was Kohlberg’s work that galvanized a whole generation of scholars to pursue the developmental features of moral reasoning in its several sociomoral manifestations, and to explore the implications of sociomoral development for educational (e.g., Power, Higgins, & Kohlberg, 1989) and clinical (e.g., Selman, 1980) practice.
PEDIATRIC FUNCTIONAL ENDOSCOPIC SINUS SURGERY : POSTOPERATIVE CARE

An effective postoperative care regimen is vital for a successful outcome. Children pose special postoperative challenges due to small anatomy, differences in underlying causes of sinus disease, and difficulties encountered with sinonasal cleansing and debridement. This article provides the clinician with a chronologic guide on how to manage the child after functional endoscopic sinus surgery.
The Archaebacterial Histone “HTa”

The extreme thermo-acidophile Thermoplasma acidophilum was first described by Darland et al. (1970). It was isolated from a “spontaneously burning” tailings pile of low-grade coal refuse outside of the Friar Tuck Mine in Indiana, U.S.A. Optimal culture conditions for the organism are 59° C and pH 1–2. It has also been isolated from a natural acidic hot spring in Japan (T. Oshima, personal commun.). T. acidophilum is clearly an Archaebacterium, but apparently is not closely related to other known Archaebacteria (Stetter and Zillig 1985).
Action Research on the Impact of Student Grouping

Abstract There exists a lack of relevant literature by which educators can determine how they might effectively group beginning-level English Language Learners (ELLs) toward the end of language acquisition and social inclusion. Because of this gap in literature, educators often struggle in determining best practices in a multilingual classroom. This author has undertaken a study of unconventional ways to group ELLs in a mainstream classroom for maximum inclusion and language acquisition. In the study context, a rural public K12 district with a comparatively low ELL population, established practice had been to pull ELLs out of English-only group classrooms in homogeneous home language groupings according to grade level. Due to low numbers of students classified as ELLs, groupings were small and rarely differentiated by literacy level. The author began the study by interviewing study students, families and affected teachers to determine actual and perceived effectiveness of the pull-out model for language acquisition and academic achievement as measured by local and state literacy assessments. After a review of interview data and commonalities in responses, this author undertook various grouping methods from individualized to small similar-language groupings to literacy-level groupings inclusive of native English-speaking peers. Student engagement and response to instruction was monitored for grouping-dependent changes. The study has found that inclusion of native-speaking peers with similar literacy levels or social factors had a positive impact on ELL engagement and achievement, particularly in communicative competence. Additional research on the effects of student grouping on language acquisition and social inclusion has the potential to benefit student experience and elevate ELL academic achievement levels.
Institutional Change through Interstitial Emergence: The Growth of Alternative Dispute Resolution in U.S. Law, 1970-2000

How can be explained the dramatic changes in the growth of informal dispute resolution as “alternatives” to adjudication between 1970-2000? This article gives an answer to this question by using the historical case of U.S. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in the last third of the 20th century to ground empirically a theory of interstitial emergence. By focusing on interstitial emergence, the article demonstrates how informal interaction across multiple organizational fields can provide cultural accounts for new formal structures. The analysis furthers the integration between institutional analysis in organizational and legal sociology, but does so by borrowing conceptual leads from social movement theory to elaborate and develop a framework for understanding institutional innovation and change. In doing so, it draws specific attention to issues of agency and emergent signification. The remainder of the article contains sections that narratively illustrate interstitial emergence and its dimensions using evidence from the U.S. ADR case. The conclusion extends the argument beyond ADR to consider alternative developments in the U.S. medical field and implications for institutional analysis, more generally.
Using Story-Based Lessons to Increase Academic Engaged Time in General Education Classes for Students with Moderate Intellectual Disability and Autism.

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of special education and general education teachers working together to develop and implement story-based lessons on the academic engaged time of...
Assess User Needs for Time-Related Information to Design an Airport Guide System

Airport activity planning and navigation are challenging because they involve planning for complex activities, including the mandatory activities for someone to get on a flight (e.g. check-in, security check), the discretionary activities (e.g. shopping, dining) and the travels connecting different activity areas. In order to successfully plan the activities and navigate at airports, time is a factor that most travelers would consider. In this paper, a survey investigating the utility of time information was presented. Travelers with different abilities were included in the survey in order to investigate the effect of abilities on the perceived utility of time information. It provided evidence for integrating time information into navigation aids to better facilitate travelers with different abilities. It also suggested that further investigation is needed to identify additional information needs of travelers in situations where time is not considered as important.