cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automatic interpretation of loosely encoded input

Knowledge-based systems are often brittle when given unanticipated input, i.e. assertions or queries that misalign with the ontology of the knowledge base. We call such misalignments ''loose speak''. We found that loose speak occurs frequently in interactions with knowledge-based systems, but with such regularity that it often can be interpreted and corrected algorithmically. We also found that the common types of loose speak, such as metonymy and noun-noun compounds, have a common root cause. We created a Loose-Speak Interpreter and evaluated it with a variety of empirical studies in different domains and tasks. We found that a single, parsimonious algorithm successfully interpreted numerous manifestations of loose speak with an average precision of 98% and an average recall of 90%.
Trichostatin A and Oncolytic HSV Combination Therapy Shows Enhanced Antitumoral and Antiangiogenic Effects

Oncolytic herpes simplex viruses (HSVs) possess direct oncolytic and antiangiogenic activities and are promising anticancer agents, but their efficacy, when used as single agents, leaves room for improvement. We investigated whether combination therapy of HSV with histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA), an agent that also targets cancer cells and tumor vasculature, would result in enhanced efficacy. In vitro, TSA and G47Δ showed strong synergy of action against proliferating endothelial cells, varying degrees of synergistic action against most cancer cell lines, but no effect in quiescent, normal endothelial and prostate epithelial cells. Synergy is dependent on viral replication; however, it is not dependent on the dosing sequence of TSA and G47Δ, viral genetic alterations, infectivity, or replication kinetics of G47Δ. Using an isogenic cell system, we found that a high level of cellular cyclin D1 is also critically important for the interaction. Normal cells with low cyclin D1 levels were not subjected to toxicity by either agent. In tumor cells and proliferating endothelial cells, the combination treatment enhanced the inhibition of cyclin D1 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Concurrent systemic TSA and intratumoral G47Δ administration resulted in enhanced antiangiogenesis and enhanced antitumoral efficacy in animal models. Therefore, combination treatment with TSA and oncolytic HSV provides a novel approach to cancer therapy.
Temperature-dependent structure of ionic liquids: X-ray scattering and simulations

In this article we determine the temperature-dependent structure of the tetradecyltrihexylphosphonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide ionic liquid using a combination of X-ray scattering and molecular dynamics simulations. As in many other room-temperature ionic liquids three characteristic intermolecular peaks can be detected in the structure function S(q). A prepeak or first sharp diffraction peak is observed at about q = 0.42 A−1. Long range anion-anion correlations are the most important contributors to this peak. In all systems we have studied to date, this prepeak is a signature of solvation asymmetry. The peak in S(q) near q = 0.75 A−1 is the signature of ionic alternation and arises from the charge ordered separation of ions of the same charge. The most intense diffraction peak near q = 1.37 A−1 arises from short-range separation between ions of opposite charge combined with a significant contribution from cationic carbon-carbon interactions, indicating that cationic hydrophobic tails have significant contacts.
Isolation and Identification of Three Alkaloids from the Bark of Zanthoxylum elephantiasis

The bark of Zanthoxylum elephantiasis (Rutaceae) was found to contain three major alkaloids which were identified as 6-canthinone, 5-methoxy-6-canthinone, and laurifoline.
Prostate carcinoma tumor size in rats decreases after administration of antagonists of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone

Abstract The effects of two potent antagonistic analogues of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) on the growth of two different models of rat prostate tumors have been investigated. Chronic administration of [NAc-p-F-DPhe1,p-Cl-DPhe2,DTrp3.6,D-Ala10]LH-RH (antagonist I) at 50 micrograms/day for 21 days significantly inhibited the growth of the chemically induced squamous cell carcinoma 11095 in Fisher 344 male rats. The weights of the pituitary, ventral prostate, and testes were not significantly altered. After 21 days of treatment with this analogue serum luteinizing hormone (lutropin), follicle-stimulating hormone, and testosterone levels were markedly decreased. When male Copenhagen F-1 rats bearing the Dunning 3327H prostate adenocarcinoma were injected with antagonist I at 50 micrograms/day for 6 weeks or with [NAc-p-Cl-DPhe1,2,DTrp3,DPhe6,DAla10]LH-RH (antagonist II) at 50 micrograms/day for 17 days, the percentage increase in tumor volume was decreased to half or less and the actual tumor volume was diminished 34-96% compared to controls. Tumor weight was decreased 30% and 89% after antagonist I and, respectively, compared to untreated controls. The tumor doubling time was 3- to 4-fold longer in rats receiving the inhibitory analogues than in the controls. Treatment with antagonist II decreased the weight of the whole prostate, but neither antagonist changed the weight of testes, anterior pituitary gland, or adrenals. Serum luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and testosterone levels in Copenhagen F-1 rats bearing Dunning tumors were significantly decreased after treatment with the inhibitory analogues, but progesterone levels were increased. The inhibitory effects of these antagonistic analogues on rat prostate tumors suggest that these compound might be considered in the development of new types of therapy for prostate carcinoma and other endocrine-dependent neoplasias.
Determination of interfacial properties between AlN and aluminum beneath salt at high temperature

Abstract Aluminum nitride is of interest as a material for electrolysis cells in the aluminum industry due to its chemical stability when in contact with molten aluminum and/or cryolite-based salt melts. It has also been considered in combination with electrically conductive materials (i.e. AlN/Al-composite) as a material for drained cathode systems in Hall-Heroult processes. Knowledge of the interfacial properties of AlN in contact with molten aluminum and/or cryolite-based melts is therefore important. This paper reports observations of the wettability of AlN by aluminum under salt cover at high temperature using an X-ray technique. Results obtained in this work combined with previously published data are used for the assessment of the work of adhesion of molten aluminum on AlN under vacuum as well as under a cryolitic salt. Scanning electron microscopy examination of metallographic sections was used to confirm the nature of the interfaces. The measured contact angle between AlN and molten aluminum beneath a salt cover at 850 °C is 136° demonstrating the non-wettability of AlN by liquid aluminum under these conditions. The work of adhesion of molten aluminum on AlN is higher under vacuum than under salt. Previously published data allowed the determination of the interfacial properties between liquid aluminum and AlN under a salt cover. The interfacial energy between molten aluminum and salt is 773 mN/m at 850 °C. The work of adhesion of aluminum on AlN is 217 and 1322 mN/m under salt and under vacuum, respectively.
Endoscopic laser arytenoidectomy

Most patients with bilateral vocal cord paralysis have a fairly satisfactory voice, but their airway is usually inadequate for day-to-day exertion. In some patients, the airway may be inadequate for even quiet respiration and an indwelling tracheotomy is required. Solution to this problem has involved the following techniques: tracheotomy, lateralization of the vocal cord by either endoscopic or external routes, or vocal cord reinnervation by the nerve-muscle transposition technique. Endoscopic laser arytenoidectomy has been mentioned in the literature. However, the actual technique as well as the attendant morbidity associated with this procedure has not been highlighted. Four patients with bilateral vocal cord paralysis of the larynx have been treated by endoscopic laser arytenoidectomy at Northwestern University Medical School. The technique, problems, and results are discussed.
Integrins limit the Toll.

Regulation of the inflammatory response is necessary for limiting tissue destruction and preventing autoimmunity. A recent discovery shows that CD11b activated by Toll-like receptors via inside-out signaling mediates degradation of the Toll-like receptor adaptors MyD88 and TRIF.
Statistical Discrimination in Employment : Its Practice, Conceptualization, and Implications for Public Policy

The phenomenon of statistical discrimination may take on increasing importance in the future as “traditional” prejudice-based discrimination slowly fades. This article considers how statistical dis...
Structure and transport properties of nanolaminate Cu–Nb composite foils by a simple fabrication route

Bulk nanolaminate Cu–Nb composite foils were fabricated by a room temperature ball milling approach with or without additional cold rolling. The average thickness of individual lamellae is about 25 nm for Cu and 5 nm for Nb. As-milled foil shows (1 1 1)Cu and (1 1 0)Nb out-of-plane textures and a hardness of 445 HV. It is distinct from reported works showing that superconductivity with a low Tc of ∼2.0 K persists in Nb nanoparticles with an unusually low critical size of 5 nm for superconducting transition.
Advances in colorectal cancer screening

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Declines in CRC incidence and mortality over the past 20 years were attributed to CRC screening. Yet, only slightly more than half of the eligible at-risk population acknowledge being screened. To effectively meet the demands of screening in an enlarging, ethnically diverse, and aging population, a variety of modalities are needed. This article provides a focused assessment of effectiveness, limitations, and alternative available screening methods. New modalities endorsed in the updated guidelines (eg, fecal immunochemical tests, fecal DNA, and CT colonography) are reviewed. In addition, advances and updates in existing tests (eg, guaiac-based fecal occult blood tests and colonoscopy) are evaluated.
Extended exposure to dietary melatonin reduces tumor number and size in aged male mice

Several sets of male mice were given dietary melatonin over a series of experiments performed during a nine year period. Overall, melatonin-supplemented mice aged ≥26 months at sacrifice had significantly fewer tumors with lower severity than similarly aged control animals. The studies were originally designed to explore the potential of this agent for reducing the rate of onset of some genetic indices of brain aging. When these animals were sacrificed they were routinely examined for overt evidence of tumors and when these were found, a note was made of their occurrence, and of their size. Tumors are commonly found during senescence of several strains of mice. Since tumorigenesis was not the original intent of the study, these observations were recorded but not pursued in greater detail. In this report, these data have now been collated and summarized. This analysis has the disadvantage that tumor origin and morphology were not recorded. However, the study also has the advantage of being conducted over an extended period of time with many groups of animals. In consequence, many extraneous factors, which could be potential confounders, such as seasonal or dietary variations, are unlikely to have interfered with the analysis. The use of more than one mouse strain strengthens the possibility that the findings may have general relevance. Both aged and young animals were included in the original experiments but the tumor incidence in animals younger than 25 months was very low.
The distribution of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) in the Rhesus monkey spinal cord

The distribution of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) in the Rhesus monkey spinal cord was studied using a highly specific antibody to TRH and the indirect peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique. TRH-positive fibers were found at all levels of the spinal cord and were in greatest concentration in the ventral gray, intermediolateral column and central gray. All motor nuclear groups in lamina IX of the ventral gray were innervated by TRH, frequently in close association with perikarya of alpha-motoneurons. The motor nuclei in the lumbar cord were the most heavily stained and contrasted to the minimal staining in the retrodorsolateral nuclear groups of the cervical, thoracic and sacral cord. Within the intermediolateral column, which contains the majority of preganglionic sympathetic neurons, TRH terminal fields reached their highest density between T2-T4 and T12-L2. Other preganglionic neurons including the nucleus intercalatus spinalis and the dorsal commissural nucleus were also densely innervated. These studies demonstrate the preferential distribution of TRH in the monkey spinal cord to regions containing alpha-motoneurons and preganglionic neurons and indicate that TRH may play an important role in the regulation of motor function and in the autonomic nervous system.
OUTPATIENT FLEXIBLE CYSTOSCOPY IN MEN: A RANDOMIZED STUDY OF PATIENT TOLERANCE

Purpose: We evaluate the pain of immediate versus delayed outpatient flexible cystoscopy in men after topical local anesthesia application.Materials and Methods: A total of 100 consecutive men with superficial bladder tumors were randomized to immediate or delayed surveillance flexible cystoscopy after intraurethral instillation of lidocaine gel. Patients recorded the level of pain experienced during cystoscopy on a 4-point pain scale and on a 10-point visual linear analog self-assessment scale.Results: Of the 100 patients 50 underwent immediate and 50 underwent delayed cystoscopy. The mean pain score on a scale of 1—no to 4—severe pain was 1.7 after immediate cystoscopy compared with 1.6 after delayed cystoscopy (p = 0.9). The mean linear analog self-assessment score on a scale of 1—no to 10—most pain was 2.1 after immediate cystoscopy versus 1.8 after delayed cystoscopy (p = 0.7).Conclusions: There was no difference in pain perception in men undergoing immediate or delayed outpatient flexible cystoscopy...
Partitioning fine sediment loads in a headwater system with intensive agriculture

This study was developed to improve understanding of the temporal variability of sediment delivery in a representative, intensively agricultural, headwater system of the U.S. Midwest by identifying the primary sediment source (i.e., uplands or channel banks) to the fine suspended sediment loads of three consecutive runoff events (with the third event being a flash flood) using naturally occurring radionuclides. Suspended sediment concentrations (C s) from discrete and continuous sampling techniques agreed well despite differences in operating principles. The total sediment flux (Q s) during each event was quantified over a 24-h period from the initiation of the rainfall using the following: (1) measured C s and flow discharges (Q w); (2) individual Q w–Q s relationships for each event (herein called individual event relationships); and (3) a cumulative Q w–Q s rating curve. The radionuclide tracers, beryllium-7 (7Be) and excess lead-210 (210Pbxs), were used with a simple two end-member mixing model to differentiate eroded upland surface soils and channel-derived sediments in the suspended loads of each event. Total load estimates from the measurement-based values and individual event relationships were similar, within 10 %, because they accounted for an observed non-linearity between C s and Q w (i.e., a clockwise hysteresis) during the events. The sediment rating curve assumed a linear relationship between C s and Q w and under-estimated the loads of the first two events while over-estimating the load of the flood event. The radionuclide partitioning quantified the proportion of eroded upland soils at 67 % for the first event, which was attributed to a “first flush” of readily available material from past events. For the subsequent and flood-event loads, 34 % and 21 % were respectively derived from the uplands, because less material was readily available for mobilization. Proportions are based on integrated samples for each event and are consistent with individual samples where available. During the flood event, stream bank mass failure was observed and bank erosion estimates from multiple methods compared favorably with the load results. The radionuclide analysis showed decreasing proportions of eroded upland soils in the loads of the three successive events that was supported by observed clockwise hysteresis from source material exhaustion. Decreasing slopes observed in successive hysteresis plots for the events suggested that less material was readily available for mobilization following the first event flushing. The results of this study can assist watershed planners in identifying erosion-prone areas and determining optimal management strategies for sediment control.
Co-Occurring Gland Angularity in Localized Subgraphs: Predicting Biochemical Recurrence in Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer Patients

Quantitative histomorphometry (QH) refers to the application of advanced computational image analysis to reproducibly describe disease appearance on digitized histopathology images. QH thus could serve as an important complementary tool for pathologists in interrogating and interpreting cancer morphology and malignancy. In the US, annually, over 60,000 prostate cancer patients undergo radical prostatectomy treatment. Around 10,000 of these men experience biochemical recurrence within 5 years of surgery, a marker for local or distant disease recurrence. The ability to predict the risk of biochemical recurrence soon after surgery could allow for adjuvant therapies to be prescribed as necessary to improve long term treatment outcomes. The underlying hypothesis with our approach, co-occurring gland angularity (CGA), is that in benign or less aggressive prostate cancer, gland orientations within local neighborhoods are similar to each other but are more chaotically arranged in aggressive disease. By modeling the extent of the disorder, we can differentiate surgically removed prostate tissue sections from (a) benign and malignant regions and (b) more and less aggressive prostate cancer. For a cohort of 40 intermediate-risk (mostly Gleason sum 7) surgically cured prostate cancer patients where half suffered biochemical recurrence, the CGA features were able to predict biochemical recurrence with 73% accuracy. Additionally, for 80 regions of interest chosen from the 40 studies, corresponding to both normal and cancerous cases, the CGA features yielded a 99% accuracy. CGAs were shown to be statistically signicantly ([Formula: see text]) better at predicting BCR compared to state-of-the-art QH methods and postoperative prostate cancer nomograms.
The effects of bilateral and unilateral frontal lesions on visual cortical hypersynchronous bursting and behavioral activity

Photically evoked after-discharge (PhAD) bursting was examined in albino rats following either bilateral or unilateral dorsal frontal lesions. The initial effect of either type of frontal lesion was to significantly suppress PhAD occurrence. However, after repeated exposure to the PhAD recording environment no difference could be seen between the lesioned and control animals. In addition, no difference in PhAD could be detected between the two visual cortices in any of the groups. Spontaneous alternation and open-field activity were also tested. Both frontally lesioned groups of animals were significantly more active than control animals in the initial stages of testing. These findings indicate that the frontal cortex can inhibit brain stem mechanisms which are responsible for behavioral arousal and the modulation of hypersynchronous bursting in the cortex. However, because no difference was seen between the two visual cortices in any of the groups, it is suggested that this mechanism is not a strictly unilateral mechanism.
Susceptibility to apoptosis varies with time in culture for murine neurons and astrocytes: changes in gene expression and activity.

Abstract Apoptotic pathways in the brain may differ depending on cell type and developmental stage. To understand these differences, we studied several apoptotic proteins in the murine cortex and primary cultures of neurons and astrocytes of various ages in culture. We then induced apoptosis in our cultures using serum deprivation (SD) and observed changes in these apoptotic proteins. When analyzed by nuclear morphology and TUNEL staining, early cultures showed greater apoptotic injury compared with late cultures, and neuronal cultures showed greater apoptosis than astrocyte cultures. The decrease in apoptosis with development correlated best with a down-regulation of procaspase-3 and bax and decreasing caspase activation. Early culture astrocytes had higher caspase-11 levels compared with neurons. Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases were also differentially expressed with activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 higher in early culture astrocytes and stress-activated protein ...
Does the African social spider Stegodyphus dumicola control the sex of individual offspring

By scoring the chromosome number of developing embryos, we show that the sex ratio bias of the African social spider Stegodyphus dumicola Pocock is the result of an overproduction of female embryos. Only 17% of 585 embryos sexed from 14 egg sacs were male, a significant departure from a 1:1 sex ratio. We also explored the possibility of direct control of the sex of individual offspring in this species by examining the variance in the number of males per sac and the spatial distribution of male and female embryos within the sacs. We postulated that a variance in the number of males per sac lower than binomial (i.e., underdispersed or precise sex ratios) or a non-random distribution of male embryos within the sacs would suggest direct control of the sex of individual offspring. We found that the variance in the number of males per sac was indistinguishable from binomial and significantly larger than expected under exact ratios. Likewise, the spatial distribution of male embryos within three sacs examined was no more clustered than expected by chance. The sex ratio biasing mechanism in this species, therefore, apparently only allows control of the mean sex ratio but not of its variance. We present randomization and Monte Carlo methods that can be applied to test for departures from a random spatial arrangement of male and female embryos in an egg mass and for departures from binomial or exact ratios when not all members of a clutch have been sexed.
Comparison of transfection agents in forming complexes with ferumoxides, cell labeling efficiency, and cellular viability

By complexing ferumoxides or superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) to transfection agents (TAs), it is possible to magnetically label mammalian cells. There has been no systematic study comparing TAs complexed to SPIO as far as cell labeling efficiency and viability. This study investigates the toxicity and labeling efficiency at various doses of FEs complexed to different TAs in mammalian cells. Different classes of TAs were used, such as polycationic amines, dendrimers, and lipid-based agents. Cellular toxicity was measured using doses of TAs from 1 to 50 microg/mL in incubation media. Iron incorporation efficiency was measured by combining various amounts of FEs and different doses of TAs. Lipofectamine2000 showed toxicity at lowest dose (1 microg/mL), whereas FuGENE6 and low molecular weight poly-L-lysine (PLL) showed the least toxicity. SPIO labeling efficiency was similar with high-molecular-weight PLL (388.1 kDa) and superfect, whereas FuGENE6 and low-molecular-weight PLL were inefficient in labeling cells. Concentrations of 25 to 50 microg/mL of FEs complexed to TAs in media resulted in sufficient endocytosis of the SPIO into endosomes to detect cells on cellular magnetic resonance imaging.
Course Participation: An Active Learning Approach Employing Student Documentation:

Documenting student participation is not an easy task, for the professor or the student. The purpose of this article is to (1) offer an approach for getting students to take responsibility for docu...
Elicitation of skin test reactions by complexes of penicillin or its derivatives with solubilized erythrocyte stroma receptors.

Abstract Two methods are described for reproducibly preparing from penicillin or its derivatives and solubilized erythrocyte stroma complexes which are capable of eliciting skin test responses in sensitive subjects or in producing passive transfer reactions with sera containing penicillin antibodies. The complexes maintain their biological activity for at least 27 months when stored at 4° C., and microgram quantities are active in provoking specific skin test reactions. The data suggest that both the penicillin and receptor components of these conjugates are heterogeneous. Besides the benzyl penicilloyl determinant, it appears that 2 or more additional penicillin derivatives also are present in these complexes. Thus they have been able to elicit passive transfer reactions when tests with either penicillin or penicilloyl polylysine were positive, and with 2 sera tests with the stroma complexes were repeatedly positive while the other antigens gave no response. The sensitized stroma had no demonstrable antibiotic activity. The presence of penicilloyl groups in the sensitized stroma could be confirmed by biochemical methods, but the nature of additional penicillin derivatives could not be ascertained. Further data suggest that different penicillin derivatives may attach to different red cell components. The myxovirus receptors are not involved.
Pre-hospital tracheal intubation versus esophageal gastric tube airway use: A prospective study

A prospective study compared the respiratory effectiveness of the endotracheal tube (ET) with that of the esophageal gastric tube airway (EGTA) for victims of nontraumatic cardiac arrest in the pre-hospital setting. Arterial blood gases were obtained within 3 minutes of hospital arrival, and survival (defined as discharge from the hospital) was determined. During EGTA ventilation, mean pH was 7.12 +/- 0.2, mean P02 was 77 +/- 92 mm Hg, and mean PC02 was 78.2 +/- 42.9 mm Hg; the survival rate was 4.5%. During ET ventilation, mean pH was 7.34 +/- 0.2, mean P02 was 265 +/- 151 mm Hg, mean PC02 was 35 +/- 20.5 mm Hg; the survival rate was 7%. The authors conclude that endotracheal intubation remains the procedure of choice for airway management in the victim of cardiopulmonary arrest.
Conversions in laparoscopic renal surgery: causes and outcomes.

Abstract Purpose: We examined conversions in laparoscopic renal surgery, evaluating the causes and outcomes. Patients and Methods: A single institution review of all laparoscopic renal surgeries, excluding renal donors, over a nine-year period was performed. Cases were evaluated for intraoperative results, conversions, and complications. Results: 399 laparoscopic renal surgeries were identified (394 available for review) with 41 conversions (31 open, 8 hand-assisted, 2 retroperitoneal). Intraoperative and postoperative complications occurred in 3.0% and 12.2%, respectively. The most common reason for conversion was a lack of progress (20), followed by difficult anatomy (8), tumor thrombus (5), and bleeding (4). Open conversion rates for hand-assisted laparoscopic (HAL), transperitoneal laparoscopic, retroperitoneal laparoscopic (RPL), and robot-assisted were 17.1%, 6.9%, 13.2%, and 1.8%, respectively, although HAL and RPL were more often used for bilateral procedures, previous abdominal surgery, and large...
Taking Online Maps Down to Street Level

Since MapQuest.com's creation in 1996, online mapping systems have rapidly gained worldwide popularity. With Google Maps leading the charge, new sophisticated AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) mapping applications began appearing in 2004. A fairly recent offering of the best online mapping systems is aerial imagery. Such imagery takes the so-called GeoWeb to the next level, providing tremendous value to activities such as real estate sales, insurance, environmental management, municipal government, emergency services, and law enforcement, as well as engaging serendipitous Web users. Yet the imagery often is not detailed enough, and viewing buildings and streets from above can be disconcerting. To address this limitation, Google launched the Street View feature of Google Maps in May 2007. The underlying idea is very simple: Provide an interface that can display street-level images in a natural way that enables convenient navigation between images without losing the map context.
Chemical compositional studies of archaeological artifacts: Comparison of LA-ICP-MS to INAA measurements

Multielement analysis of archaeological artifacts for the purpose of correlating chemical composition in an effort to determine provenience has become a well-known and accepted procedure. In this study, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry with laser ablation probe (LA-ICP-MS) for the direct study of solids was used to generate elemental data for comparison with existing instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) data. Matrix element Al was used as an internal standard in the ICP work to normalize for variations in sample density and sample mass ablated. While absolute accuracy and precision for the ICP data are inferior to INAA, multivariate statistical analysis of data resulting from the two methods demonstrates a high degree of comparability. Sample cluster assignments differed in only 4.7% (4 out of 86) of the cases. Results show a clear usefulness for LA-ICP-MS in archaeological compositional analysis.
Four Years of Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education Duty Hour Regulations : Have They Made a Difference?

Objectives/Hypothesis: Measure compliance with the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) residents' work hour regulations and evaluate their impact on patient care and residents' performance on the Otolaryngology Training Examination (OTE). Study Design: Retrospective review of an otolaryngology residency program's resident duty hours violations and OTE scores, and review of the associated hospital's benchmark patient data. Methods: Residents' duty hour violations were compiled and analyzed for individual violation, postgraduate year (PGY), and service in the program. Annual OTE scores and the department's hospital benchmark measures (inpatient mortality, inpatient length of stay, 30-day readmission rate) were compared before and after the institution of the ACGME duty hours mandate. Results: The 10-hour rule was most frequently violated; residents on the oncology service and PGY-2 year were most commonly in violation. There was no difference before and after institution of the ACGME duty hours mandate in 30-day hospital readmission rates (P = .42), hospital mortality index (P = .55), length of stay (P = .55), OTE scores (P = .11, Student's t test), and graduating resident's operative volume. Conclusions: Institution of the ACGME duty hour regulations did not improve patient care as measured by the 30-day readmission rate, inhospital mortality, and patient's length of stay. Residents' performance on the OTE did not change after implementation of the ACGME rules. Further studies are warranted to assess the impact of the ACGME work hour regulations on patient care and resident-physicians ' training.
Band 4.1 enhances spectrin binding to phosphatidylserine vesicles.

Abstract Erythroid band 4.1 enhances the binding of erythroid spectrin to phosphatidylserine vesicles under conditions of ionic strength and at protein concentrations similar to those in the red cell. The extent of enhancement depends on the concentration of band 4.1; at 2 μM 4.1, spectrin binding increases approximately 10-fold (to 600 μmoles/mole lipid). The Kd is 0.5 μM, as measured by SDS-PAGE of protein-bound vesicles recovered by ficoll gradient centrifugation. The 4.1-enhanced binding of spectrin was also measured by a gel filtration assay. The electrostatic nature of the enhancement of spectrin binding is indicated by its dependence on the phosphatidylserine content of the vesicles.
Smooth functions on Banach spaces

Abstract This paper discusses the smoothness properties of partitions of unity which are available for any real separable Banach space B which is the support space for a mean zero Gaussian measure μ. Elements of the partition of unity are infinitely differentiable in the directions in which μ translates to an equivalent measure. The set of such directions forms a Hilbert subspace H of B , and the derivatives of the partition functions are shown to take values in the n -fold symmetric tensor product of H .
Can a quark shell model lead to nucleon clusters

Abstract The six-quark deutron system is examined within the framework of the Bonn quark shell model to see whether this model can lead to a quark density distribution indicative of two spatially separated three-quark clusters. The deuteron ground state always leads to a quark density distribution with a central maximum. The configuration mixing of the model does not furnish the needed strong spatial correlation into three-quark clusters.
First Year Civil and Environmental Engineering Design Experience

The University of Dayton requires all first year engineering students to enroll in a design course that is composed of several standalone modules. Included in the first generation of this class was a module on civil and environmental engineering, the topic of this manuscript. The goals of this module were to define civil and environmental engineering, illustrate the interrelationship of all engineering disciplines, show the integration of technical and non-technical issues, and introduce the design process. To achieve these goals, case studies and panel discussions were presented and a laboratory exercise conducted. The laboratory exercise consisted of two components. In the environmental engineering component, students designed a filtration/contact unit to treat polluted water. The civil engineering component required building a structure to hold the filtration unit. These exercises integrated technical and non-technical issues. The technical components were the open-ended design problem associated with cleaning polluted water and the construction of the process support structure and the non-technical issues included related social considerations, teamwork, technical writing, ethics, and finance. Students' assessments of the module have revealed that the objectives of the module were largely achieved.
Growth, in-vivo extensibility and tissue tension in mung bean seedlings subjected to water stress

Abstract The effect of a mild water stress on growth, in-vivo extensibility and tissue tension in hypocotyls of mung bean ( Phaseolus aureus L. cv. Berkin) seedlings was investigated. The subapical (growing) regions of the hypocotyls were marked and the seedlings transferred to distilled water or polyethyleneglycol solutions of an osmotic pressure of 0 to −30 bar. Growth of the marked regions was measured over the next 8 h. In-vivo extensibility was measured with a custom-built constant-stress extensiometer by stretching of living tissue (creep test). Tissue tension was estimated by measuring the rate of expansion of the peeled cortical cylinder in distilled water and by measuring the amount of contraction of the peeled epidermis on isolation. The plastic in-vivo extensibility was not significantly impaired by water stress, while a slight decrease in elastic extensibility was observed. The rate of expansion of the peeled cortical cylinder was increased in the water stressed seedlings. The epidermis lost its ability to contact on isolation owing to the imposed water stress. These changes in tissue tension were completely reversible upon rewatering of the seedlings. It is concluded that mild water stress inhibits growth by reducing the water potential of the cells. There is also a concomitant reduction of tissue tension.
Hypothermia and behavioural thermoregulation by the hamster (Mesocricetus auratus)

Abstract Behavioural thermoregulatory temperature preference was investigated prior to and following both mild (approximately 10 °C) and deep (0 °C for 1 hr) hypothermia. Temperature preference of adult male hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) was assessed with apparatus specifically designed and constructed for that purpose. Each of the ten sets of apparatus consisted of five individual boxes arranged as a pentagon around a central arena. The temperatures of the boxes were controlled so that a subject could select environmental temperatures of 1 °, 6 °, 12 °, 18 ° or 26 °C. Activity was continuously monitored on an event recorder which was controlled by photocells at the entry ways of each box. Box temperature was monitored with recording thermocouples. All animals lived in the apparatus from 4 to 35 days before the initial hypothermia. Eight hours prior to hypothermia the mean time spent per hour in the 26 °C box was 5·38 min, with the remaining 6·2 min per hr being divided approximately equally between the other four boxes. Upon regaining normal body temperature following hypothermia the animals were returned to the chambers. Immediately after being returned, the hamsters exhibited a preference for the 6 °, 12 ° and 18 °C environments. The duration of this post-hypothermic temperature preference was significantly longer following mild hypothermia than that following deep hypothermia. Following this ‘down-shift’ all animals returned to the 26 °C box where they stayed for an average of 56·6 min per hr over a period of at least 8 hr. Consistent with the impaired thermoregulatory stability and the labile body temperature generally observed following hypothermia, one might expect these animals preferentially to select the warmest environmental temperature (26 °C). However, the post-hypothermic, transient, ‘down-shift’ to the lower environmental temperatures might suggest that as a result of some physiological readjustment (vasomotor activity, metabolism, hypothalamic ‘set’) during this period that the thermocomfort ‘set’ of these hamsters has also been temporarily altered.
Target specificity and size of avian sensory neurons supported in vitro by nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and neurotrophin-3.

To obtain insight into which subpopulations of sensory neurons in dorsal root ganglia are supported by different neurotrophins, we retrogradely labeled cutaneous and muscle afferents in embryonic day 9 chick embryos and followed their survival in neuron-enriched cultures supplemented with either nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), or neurotrophin-3 (NT-3). We found that NGF is a wide survival factor for subpopulations of both cutaneous and muscle afferents, whereas the survival effects of BDNF and NT-3 are restricted primarily to muscle afferents. We also measured soma size in each neurotrophic factor. These new data show that BDNF- and NT-3–dependent cells appear to be a mixture of two populations of neurons: one small diameter and the other large diameter. In contrast, based on size alone, NGF-dependent cells appear to be a single population of only small-diameter neurons. Thus, BDNF and NT-3 may have some new, previously unreported effects on small-diameter afferent neurons. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
P2X7 receptor expression levels determine lethal effects of a purine based danger signal in T lymphocytes

Abstract Contact of T lymphocytes with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) or ATP causes cell death that requires expression of purinergic receptor P2X7 (P2X7R). T cell subsets differ in their responses to NAD and ATP, which awaits a mechanistic explanation. Here, we show that sensitivity to ATP correlates with P2X7R expression levels in CD4 cells, CD8 cells and CD4+CD25+ cells from both C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice. But P2X7R ligands do not only induce cell death but also shedding of CD62L. It is shown here that in CD62Lhigh T cells, CD62L shedding correlates with low expression of P2X7Rs and lower cell death, whereas in CD62Llow cells P2X7R expression and death are higher. The possibility is therefore investigated that P2X7Rs induce T cell activation. Experiments show that spontaneous T cell proliferation is somewhat higher in cells expressing P2X7Rs, but this effect we suggest is caused by P2X7R expression on accessory cells.
Room-temperature assembly of germanium photonic crystals through colloidal crystal templating

Using an evaporation-driven, room-temperature infiltration technique, we filled the interstitial space within an opal formed from 1 μm polystyrene spheres with preformed germanium nanoparticles. Subsequently, the Ge nanoparticles were bound together by backfilling with a photocuring adhesive, and the original polystyrene template was etched away to yield an inverse opal of air spheres in a matrix of Ge nanoparticles and photoadhesive. The reflectance spectra of these photonic materials were compared to computed band structures to deduce the refractive index of the air-germanium and air-photoadhesive composites; in conjunction with the Maxwell-Garnett model of dielectric mixing, this comparison also allowed the estimation of the Ge volume fraction within each composite material. On the basis of these methods, the interstitial space of the initial polystyrene opal template was filled to 49 vol % with Ge nanoparticles, acquiring an effective refractive index of 1.74. Backfilling with photoadhesive, followed by removal of the polystyrene opal, produced a Ge-in-polymer composite with a refractive index contrast of 2.05.
Peak systolic blood pressure on a graded maximal exercise test and the blood pressure response to an acute bout of submaximal exercise.

Blood pressure (BP) is immediately reduced after aerobic exercise (postexercise hypotension [PEH]). Whether peak systolic BP on a maximal graded exercise stress test (GEST) relates to PEH is not known. This study examined associations between peak systolic BP on a GEST and PEH. Subjects were 50 men (mean ± SEM age 43.8 ± 1.3 years) with elevated BP (145.3 ± 1.5/85.9 ±1.1 mm Hg). Men completed a GEST and 3 experiments: nonexercise control and 2 cycle bouts at 40% (LIGHT) and 60% (MODERATE) of maximal oxygen consumption. After the experiments, subjects left the laboratory wearing ambulatory BP monitors. Peak systolic BP on a GEST was categorized into tertiles: low (n = 17, 197.4 ± 2.0 mm Hg), medium (n = 16, 218.4 ± 1.4 mm Hg), and high (n = 17, 248.9 ± 2.8 mm Hg). Repeated-measures analysis of variance tested if BP differed over time and among experimental conditions and peak systolic BP groups. In men with high peak systolic BP, systolic BP was reduced by 7.3 ± 2.6 mm Hg after LIGHT and by 5.0 ± 2.2 mm Hg after MODERATE compared with nonexercise control over 10 hours, with the more apparent effects seen after LIGHT (p
Colpocleisis: a review

Objective: To summarize published data about colpocleisis and to highlight areas about which data are lacking. Data sources: We conducted a literature search on Medline using Ovid and PubMed, from 1966 to January 2004, using search terms “colpocleisis”, “colpectomy”, “vaginectomy”, “pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and surgery”, and “vaginal vault prolapse and surgery” and included articles with English-language abstracts. We examined reference lists of published articles to identify other articles not found on the electronic search. Methods of study selection: We examined all studies identified in our search that provided any outcome data on colpocleisis. Because of the heterogeneity of outcome measures and follow-up intervals in case series, we did not apply meta-analytic techniques to the data. Results: Colpocleisis for POP is apparently successful in nearly 100% of patients in recent series. The rate of reoperation for stress incontinence or POP after colpocleisis is unknown. Concomitant elective hysterectomy is associated with increased blood loss and length of hospital stay, without known improvement in outcomes. Few studies systematically assess pelvic symptoms. The role of preoperative urodynamic testing to direct optimal management of urinary incontinence and retention remains to be established in this setting. Conclusions: Colpocleisis is an effective procedure for treatment of advanced POP in patients who no longer desire preservation of coital function. Complications are relatively common in this group of elderly patients. Prospective trials are needed to understand the impact of colpocleisis on functional outcomes and patient satisfaction.
Facial palsy in a 2-month-old infant with Kawasaki disease.

We read with great interest the article “Facial palsy in a 2-month-old infant with Kawasaki disease” by Kaur et al. [1] published in the November 2009 issue of Rheumatology International. Although the authors were adept in managing the infant well, I would like to share with the readers my views further on the management of the case. There are numerous reports in the literature regarding the pattern of fever in Kawasaki disease (KD). It is an extremely wellknown fact that the fever in KD is high-grade commonly unrelieved by antibiotics and is mostly partially responsive to commonly employed antipyretics. In the present instance, the authors should have suspected KD at the very outset when the infant presented to them, based on the “signiWcant” past history of 2 weeks of high-grade fever not responding to multiple courses of oral and parenteral antibiotics. Although the authors do not mention anything about the responsiveness of the fever to antipyretics, it may be safe to assume that the fever might have been suboptimally responsive to antipyretics as well. Further, the authors describe “extreme irritability” in the child. This clinical sign, although subjective, helps immensely in suspecting KD in a given child, especially in the absence of other classical signs and symptoms. At this juncture, we would like to draw the readers’ attention to a recent report published by us in which we described extreme paucity of clinical signs and symptoms in a child with KD, whose major presenting features were prolonged fever unresponsive to antipyretics and “extreme irritability” [2]. This was followed by another similar report from Turkey by Yilmazer et al. [3]. We believe that instances of KD essentially represent a spectrum with some children on one end manifesting hardly any of the well-known signs and symptoms besides fever, while others at the opposite end of the same spectrum manifesting all the classical signs and symptoms. With increasing recognition of the incomplete forms of KD, and the diYculties associated with diagnosing such cases, the American Heart Association expert committee, 2004 recommended fulWllment of the supplemental laboratory criteria to assist clinicians in diagnosing “incomplete” forms of KD in the presence of two or three clinical signs [4]. These include anemia for age, serum albumin 450,000/mm, white blood cell count (WBC) >15,000/mm and urine >10 WBC per high power Weld. Under these circumstances, treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is recommended before an echocardiogram is obtained. With regards the infant discussed, supplemental laboratory tests were positive on admission. Given the fact that the authors had an extremely irritable young infant with high-grade antibiotic unresponsive fever of 2 weeks duration with several additional tests of systemic inXammation strongly positive, we feel an immediate twodimensional echocardiography should have been carried out at the very outset to exclude coronary artery changes followed immediately by treatment with IVIG and highdose aspirin without waiting for other signs and symptoms to appear.