cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High versus low mean arterial pressures in hepatorenal syndrome: A randomized controlled pilot trial.

Abstract There is controversy regarding the mean arterial pressure (MAP) goals that should be targeted in the treatment of hepatorenal syndrome (HRS.) We conducted a study to assess different MAP targets in HRS in the intensive care unit (ICU). Materials and methods This is a prospective randomized controlled pilot trial. ICU patients had target mean arterial pressure (MAP) ≥ 85 mmHg (control arm) or 65–70 mmHg (study arm). Urine output and serum creatinine were trended and recorded. Results A total of 18 patients were enrolled. The day four urine output in the high and low MAP group was 1194 (SD = 1249) mL/24 h and 920 (SD = 812) mL/24 h, respectively. The difference in day four – day one urine output was −689 (SD = 1684) mL/24 h and 272 (SD = 582) mL/24 h for the high and low MAP groups. The difference in serum creatinine at day four – day one was −0.54 (SD = 0.63) mg/dL and − 0.77 (SD = 1.14) mg/dL in the high and low MAP groups, respectively. Conclusion In this study, we failed to prove non-inferiority between a low and high target MAP in patients with HRS. Trial registration: This trial was registered with and approved by the University of Louisville Internal Review Board and hospital research review committees (IRB # 14.1190). The trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (ID # NCT02789150). The IRB committee roster 7/21/2014–2/26/2015 is registered with IORG (IORG # IORG0000147; OMB # 0990–0279) and is available at http://louisville.edu/research/humansubjects/about-the-irb/rosters/RosterEffective20140721thru20150226.pdf
Should we treat every infant with a probiotic

Intestinal dysbiosis is associated with a long list of both acute and chronic inflammatory diseases and appears to be increasing in developed countries over the last century with the introduction of antibiotics, changes in sanitation, formula feeding and cesarean sections. The evidence supporting prophylactic administration of probiotic microbes to very preterm infants for the prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis, late onset sepsis and death is strong. The evidence for benefit of probiotics in infantile colic is strong but limited to the L. reuteri DSM 17938 strain and to breast-fed infants. The evidence for prevention of atopic dermatitis is mixed with the strongest benefit seen with initiation of probiotic treatment during pregnancy and continued after birth. The more provocative question of whether routine administration of probiotics to all infants can reverse trends in intestinal dysbiosis and dysbiosis-associated diseases remains unanswered. A large cohort study or randomized controlled trial of probiotics in infancy with sufficient follow-up to assess changes in dysbiosis-associated diseases is warranted and could be paradigm shifting.
Sarcoid Like Reaction Confounding the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Adenocarcinoma

Sarcoidosis and other forms of co-existing granulomatous inflammation have been previously reported to occur along with bronchogenic carcinoma although rare. In addition, sarcoidosis has been reported as an independent risk factor for development of lung cancer. The histological findings of granulomatous inflammation can be misleading in patients with lung nodules and especially with a high pretest probability of lung cancer. We report a case of middle age Caucasian female with smoking history and obstructive lung disease who presented with multiple spiculated pulmonary nodules in both upper lobes. Pretest probability of lung cancer was high in this patient because of smoking history, location (upper lobe), appearance (spiculation) and abnormal Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan. Initial needle biopsy by interventional radiologist revealed non-caseating granulomatous inflammation without any malignant cells leading to diagnosis of sarcoidosis. But patient underwent surgical lung biopsy because of no response to steroids that revealed the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma. Surgical lung biopsies also revealed coexisting granulomatous inflammation in the vicinity of the malignancy changes. It is difficult to establish whether the sarcoid finding in this case is an immunogenic reaction to malignancy or a precursor for malignancy. Sarcoid like reaction can rarely be seen in bronchogenic carcinoma misleading the diagnosis at times.
Legacies of the Third Reich: Concentration Camps and Out-group Intolerance

We explore the long-term political consequences of the Third Reich and show that current political intolerance, xenophobia, and voting for radical right-wing parties are associated with proximity to former Nazi concentration camps in Germany. This relationship is not explained by contemporary attitudes, the location of the camps, geographic sorting, the economic impact of the camps, or their current use. We argue that cognitive dissonance led those more directly exposed to Nazi institutions to conform with the belief system of the regime. These attitudes were then transmitted across generations. The evidence provided here contributes both to our understanding of the legacies of historical institutions and the sources of political intolerance.
Bikuda: hair, aesthetic, and bodily perspectives from women in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

The Steve Biko Cultural Institute (Biko) is one of various institutions that aim to educate civically active Afro-descendant youth in Salvador who hope to enter higher education spaces. From this i...
Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy: a case report

本文报道婴儿色素性神经外胚层瘤影像表现一例。患儿男，3个月6 d，CT表现为左侧颞骨、顶骨交界处圆形软组织肿块影，呈膨胀性改变，向内压迫脑组织。MRI表现为左侧颞骨、顶骨交界处一哑铃形包块影，T1WI呈等信号，T2WI呈低信号影，内部信号不均匀，中央区可见斑片样T2WI高信号。DWI序列呈稍高信号。
Appropriateness of Antibiotic Prescribing for Acute Sinusitis in Primary Care: A Cross-sectional Study

The proportion of sinusitis visits that meet criteria for antibiotic prescribing is unknown. Of 425 randomly selected sinusitis visits, 50% (214) met antibiotic-prescribing criteria. There was no significant difference in antibiotic prescribing at visits that did (205/214 [96%]) and did not (193/211 [92%]; p = .07) meet antibiotic prescribing criteria.
Marginalidad, precariedad, indianización y middle ground en el Paraguay de la Conquista 1526-1575

Borderlands in the Spanish Empire seems to differ in their process of conquest. To the effects of marginality must be added the absence of mineral wealth which in turn has a great impact on the development of the early colony in Paraguay between 1537 and 1575. All this leads us in this article to propose a reflection on the adaptation of both the native’s peoples and the colonizers to this new colonial pact, basing our analysis on the concepts of Indianization, ethnogenesis and middle ground.
Why the divestment movement is missing the mark

Despite a strong media presence and pledges from high-profile investors, the divestment movement has largely failed to mobilize financial markets in the war on carbon. Divestment 2.0 will require major tweaking to more effectively redirect the flow of capital and catalyse greater corporate climate action.
Removing Rotational Variations from Shoulder Thermocouples in Friction Stir Welding

Thick plate and lower temperature friction stir welding results in good post-weld properties by welding at very low tool rotational speeds. Low speeds cause large variations in the measured shoulder temperature, making temperature control difficult. This paper describes a computationally light method to correct for oscillating measured temperatures. Data is collected over the previous two revolutions and used to build a compensation table and calculate a derivative. In simulation, measured temperature variations are reduced by a factor of five to ten. Temperature data is preserved and not cornered, nor is any time delay induced by this method, unlike filtering methods.
Quantum illumination with a parametrically amplified idler

Abstract Quantum illumination uses a quantum state of the electromagnetic field to detect the presence of a target against a bright background more sensitively than any classical state. Most often, the quantum state is a two-mode squeezed vacuum consisting of signal and idler modes with a non-zero phase-sensitive cross correlation, which serves as the signature for target detection, and a zero phase-insensitive cross correlation, which means the modes produce no fringes in second order interference. Here it is shown that applying phase-sensitive amplification to the idler modes of a two-mode squeezed vacuum results in a non-zero phase-insensitive cross correlation enabling reception by a simple beam splitter and photodetectors. It is shown that quantum illumination with a parametrically amplified idler has a lower probability of error than an asymptotically optimal classical-state scheme in discriminating between a present target and an absent target with equal prior probabilities.
Arbitration and Fine Dining

A restaurant meal might turn into disappointment either when good food arrives late, or when prompt service delivers bad food. The chef cannot become preoccupied with any one aspect of fine dining to the exclusion of others. Likewise, arbitral proceedings implicate proportionality and balance among a multitude of factors which can make the experience good or bad. Several elements play key roles in evaluating any arbitration, namely: accuracy, fairness, cost, speed, and award enforceability. An inevitable tension exists among these goals. Decisions reached quickly and cheaply will do few favors if the award gets it wrong on the substantive merits. The prevailing party will find little satisfaction in a correct result that is refused recognition because the arbitrators denied due process to the losing side. A good arbitrator, like good chef, will seek balance and counterpoise. That which is excessive may become not only insignificant, but also counterproductive.
Plasmonic and Dielectric Nanostructures: Distinguishing Size, Material, and Dielectric Environment via Machine Learning

We employ machine learning, coupled with linear and nonlinear dimensionality reduction strategies, to distinguish between plasmonic and dielectric optical response of nanostructures and to understand the role of structural parameters and local environment.
Improved systemic AAV gene therapy with a neurotrophic capsid in Niemann-Pick disease type C1 mice.

Niemann-Pick C1 disease (NPC1) is a rare, fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by mutations in NPC1, which encodes the lysosomal cholesterol transport protein NPC1. Disease pathology involves lysosomal accumulation of cholesterol and lipids, leading to neurological and visceral complications. Targeting the central nervous system (CNS) from systemic circulation complicates treatment of neurological diseases with gene transfer techniques. Selected and engineered capsids, for example, adeno-associated virus (AAV)-PHP.B facilitate peripheral-to-CNS transfer and hence greater CNS transduction than parental predecessors. We report that systemic delivery to Npc1 m1N/m1N mice using an AAV-PHP.B vector ubiquitously expressing NPC1 led to greater disease amelioration than an otherwise identical AAV9 vector. In addition, viral copy number and biodistribution of GFP-expressing reporters showed that AAV-PHP.B achieved more efficient, albeit variable, CNS transduction than AAV9 in Npc1 m1N/m1N mice. This variability was associated with segregation of two alleles of the putative AAV-PHP.B receptor Ly6a in Npc1 m1N/m1N mice. Our data suggest that robust improvements in NPC1 disease phenotypes occur even with modest CNS transduction and that improved neurotrophic capsids have the potential for superior NPC1 AAV gene therapy vectors.
1 /f α noise and generalized diffusion in random Heisenberg spin systems

We study the ``flux-noise'' spectrum of random-bond quantum Heisenberg spin systems using a real-space renormalization group (RSRG) procedure that accounts for both the renormalization of the system Hamiltonian and of a generic probe that measures the noise. For spin chains, we find that the dynamical structure factor ${S}_{q}(f)$, at finite wave vector $q$, exhibits a power-law behavior both at high and low frequencies $f$, with exponents that are connected to one another and to an anomalous dynamical exponent through relations that differ at $T=0$ and $T=\ensuremath{\infty}$. The low-frequency power-law behavior of the structure factor is inherited by any generic probe with a finite bandwidth and is of the form $1/{f}^{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$ with $0.5l\ensuremath{\alpha}l1$. An analytical calculation of the structure factor, assuming a limiting distribution of the RG flow parameters (spin size, length, bond strength) confirms numerical findings. More generally, we demonstrate that this form of the structure factor, at high temperatures, is a manifestation of anomalous diffusion which directly follows from a generalized spin-diffusion propagator. We also argue that $1/f$-noise is intimately connected to many-body-localization at finite temperatures. In two dimensions, the RG procedure is less reliable; however, it becomes convergent for quasi-one-dimensional geometries where we find that one-dimensional $1/{f}^{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$ behavior is recovered at low frequencies; the latter configurations are likely representative of paramagnetic spin networks that produce $1/{f}^{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$ noise in SQUIDs.
Revisiting Choice and Victimization: A Commentary on Bay-Cheng’s Agency Matrix

This commentary explores questions raised by Bay-Cheng’s “Agency Matrix” regarding girls’ and young women’s sexual agency. Focusing primarily on victimization and agency, I explore past attempts in the field to understand victim’s agency from my own work (Lamb, 1996) and the work of Janoff-Bulman and Frieze (1983) in the 80s and 90s to more recent work directly addressing girls’ sexual expression and its relationship to empowerment in the U.S. In this essay I also address problems inherent in feminist conceptualizations of girls and young women as both agents and responders to cultural forces including their own victimization. I explore the idea that the uber-responsibility we see in girls and women around their own victimization is a moral standpoint that is exploitable in a neoliberal and sexist society. Like Bay-Cheng I discuss the neoliberal agenda and how in a neoliberal context vulnerability becomes a problem and stands in the way of solidarity with other victims. In the end, I propose feminists explore how to rescue ideals around responsibility and choice without buying into neoliberalism, and sexism. I propose we may need to bend towards girls’ and young women’s conceptualization of agency with the goal of helping victims take appropriate responsibility without excusing the perpetrator.
Microwave assisted synthesis of Cu2ZnSnS4colloidal nanoparticle inks

Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) nanoparticle inks were synthesized for the first time by a one-pot synthesis method using microwave heating. Precursor solutions were mixed and reacted at 190 °C for 30 min. Varying the initial concentration of the metal chlorides in ethylene glycol was necessary to avoid formation of copper rich and zinc poor nanoparticles. Analysis of the reaction supernatant indicates that Cu+ was fully utilized while significant amounts of Zn2+ remained unreacted. The CZTS nanoparticles were determined to be 7.6 ± 2.1 nm in diameter and were found to agglomerate into larger clusters. A solar cell fabricated with the CZTS nanoparticles had a conversion efficiency of 0.25%.
Service Quality Effects of Incentive Regulation on Access Service in Telecommunications in the United States

Incentive regulation in the form of price caps was adopted for interstate access service in 1991 as a way to provide local exchange carriers with an incentive to improve their productive efficiency. An issue that has arisen with the adoption of price cap regulation is whether deterioration in service quality for interstate access service has been an unintended consequence. The analysis in this paper uses several different measures of service quality, including the average installation interval, the percent of commitments met, total trouble reports, and the average repair interval for both switched access service and special access service, to investigate empirically whether there has been a decline in service quality between 1991 and 2000. The results are conclusive. Overall service quality has fallen. To rectify the situation, a proposal is offered to adjust the price cap index to penalize LECs who fail to provide an acceptable level of aggregate service quality.
Aqueduct: Online Data Migration with Performance Guarantees

Modern computer systems are expected to be up continuously: even planned downtime to accomplish system reconfiguration is becoming unacceptable, so more and more changes are having to be made to "live" systems that are running production workloads. One of those changes is data migration: moving data from one storage device to another for load balancing, system expansion, failure recovery, or a myriad of other reasons. Traditional methods for achieving this either require application down-time, or severely impact the performance of foreground applications - neither a good outcome when performance predictability is almost as important as raw speed. Our solution to this problem, Aqueduct, uses a control-theoretical approach to statistically guarantee a bound on the amount of impact on foreground work during a data migration, while still accomplishing the data migration in as short a time as possible. The result is better quality of service for the end users, less stress for the system administrators, and systems that can be adapted more readily to meet changing demands.
Microscopic Theory of High-Temperature Superconductivity

It is argued that the BCS many-body theory, which is outstandingly successful for conventional superconductors, does not apply to the high-temperature super-conductors and that a realistic theory must take account of the local electronic structure (stripes). The spin-gap proximity effect is a mechanism by which the charge carriers on the stripes and the spins in the intervening regions acquire a spin gap at a relatively high temperature with only strong repulsive interactions. Superconducting phase order is achieved at a lower temperature determined by the (relatively low) superfluid density of the doped insulator. This picture is consistent with the phenomenology of the high-temperature superconductors. It is shown that, in momentum space, the spin gap first arises in the neighborhood of the points (0, ±π) and (±π, 0) then spreads along arcs of the Fermi surface. Some of the experimental consequences of this picture are discussed.
Spatiotemporal variability during gait initiation in Parkinson's disease

During gait initiation (GI), consistency of foot placement while stepping is important in making successful transitions from a state of stable static posture to an unstable state of dynamic locomotion. In populations characterized by gait dysfunction and postural instability, such as persons with Parkinson's disease (PD), the ability to generate a consistent stepping pattern during GI may be essential in the prevention of falls. However, little is known about GI variability in persons with PD as compared to their healthy elderly peers. Therefore, this study investigated spatiotemporal variability during the first two steps of GI in 46 persons with idiopathic PD and 49 healthy age-matched adults. Stepping characteristics, including the length, width, and time of the first two steps of GI as well as their coefficients of variation (CV) were compared between groups. Persons with PD initiated gait with significantly shorter steps (swing step length=.463 vs. .537 m, stance step length=.970 vs. 1.10 m) and higher variability in step length (swing step CV=8.82 vs. 5.45, stance step CV=6.76 vs. 3.61). Persons with PD also showed significantly higher variability in the time of the swing step (swing step CV=10.0 vs. 7.4). GI variability did not differ significantly between disease stages in persons with PD. Because greater variability in these measures during gait is related to an increased risk of falls, we propose that higher GI variability may play a considerable role in falls frequently observed during transitions from quiet standing in PD.
Chemical variation in the tropical seaweed Stypopodium zonale (Dictyotaceae)

Abstract Five separate collections of the tropical seaweed Stypopodium zonale were analysed for ten secondary metabolites using a combination of high performance liquid chromatography and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry. Shallow water populations from the Caribbean were found to possess similar metabolite profiles from year to year and from widely diverse locations. Stypopodium zonale from the South Pacific (Palau) contained similar structure types; however, the profile was qualitatively and quantitatively dissimilar to the Caribbean algae. A deep water Caribbean form of S. zonale was found to contain two metabolites, epitaondiol and 6a-desmethyl-6-acetylatomaric acid, not observed in the other extracts. This latter population is morphologically and anatomically distinct from the other S. zonale Caribbean populations.
Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Obesity

Background— Obesity is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation and other cardiovascular conditions. Our objective was to determine whether catheter-based ablation effectively treated atrial fibrillation in obese patients. Methods and Results— Five hundred twenty-three consecutive patients with symptomatic, medication-refractory atrial fibrillation underwent catheter ablation. Patients were grouped by body mass index (lean, <25 kg/m2; overweight, 25 to 29.9 kg/m2; obese, ≥30 kg/m2). Outcome and quality of life were measured with a general health survey (Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form General Health Survey [SF-36]); patients were assessed before ablation and at 3 and 12 months after the procedure. Two hundred twenty-eight study patients (44%) were overweight, and 201 (38%) were obese. Twelve months after curative ablation, 72% of patients were free of atrial fibrillation without the use of antiarrhythmic agents; 84% were arrhythmia free when those receiving medication were included. Atrial fibrilla...
Serological distribution of Bradyrhizobium japonicum as influenced by soybean cultivar and sampling location

L'influence du genotype du soja sur les serogroupes est faible pour les cultivars communs aux Etats-Unis. Reciproquement, cette etude montre que la distribution serologique des bradyrhizobies du soja peut varier a l'interieur d'une aire limitee. On montre aussi que des differences serologiques majeures existent entre les bradyhizobies communes dans les regions productrices de soja aux Etats-Unis
Regulation of Carboxyl-terminal Domain Phosphatase by HIV-1 Tat Protein

The phosphorylation state of the carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase (RNAP) II is directly linked to the phase of transcription being carried out by the polymerase. Enzymes that affect CTD phosphorylation can thus play a major role in the regulation of transcription. A previously characterized HeLa CTD phosphatase has been shown to processively dephosphorylate RNAP II and to be stimulated by the 74-kDa subunit of TFIIF. This phosphatase is shown to be comprised of a single 150-kDa subunit by the reconstitution of catalytic activity from a SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis purified protein. This subunit has been previously cloned and shown to interact with the HIV Tat protein. To determine whether this interaction has functional consequences, the effect of Tat on CTD phosphatase was investigated. Full-length Tat-1 protein (Tat 86R) strongly inhibits the activity of CTD phosphatase. Point mutations in the activation domain of Tat 86R, which reduce the ability of Tat to transactivate in vivo, diminish its ability to inhibit CTD phosphatase. Furthermore, a deletion mutant missing most of the activation domain is unable to inhibit CTD phosphatase activity. The ability of Tat to transactivatein vitro also correlates with the strength of inhibition of CTD phosphatase. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that Tat-dependent suppression of CTD phosphatase is part of the transactivation function of Tat.
Estimation for Dirichlet mixed models

Abstract : Dirichlet mixed models find wide application and the estimation of these models is usually achieved through the method of moments. We present an iterative hybrid algorithm for obtaining the (MLE) maximum likelihood estimate employing both modified Newton-Raphson and E-M (electro-magnetics) methods. This successful MLE algorithm enables calculation of a jackknife MLE. Simulation comparison of the three estimates is provided. The MLE substantially improves upon the moments estimator particularly with increasing dimension and the jackknife MLE in turn offers a more dramatic improvement. Keywords: Comparison of estimates, Mixed moments, Moment estimator.
The Jew Within: Self, Family, and Community in America

Preliminary Table of Contents: Acknowledgments 1. Introduction 2. The Sovereign Self 3. All in the Family 4. Ritual Options 5. Echoes of Tribalism 6. The Retreat of Public Judaism 7. God and the Synagogue 8. Conclusion Appendix A: The Interview Guide Appendix B: The Survey Bibliography Index
Optical activity of mixed-ligand Eu(III) chelates containing chiral and achiral β-diketone ligands

Abstract A series of mixed-ligand complexes of Eu(III) has been prepared, in which the complexes contain both chiral (CDK) and achiral (DK) β-diketone ligands. The series Eu(DK 2 )(CDK) and Eu(DK)(CDK) 2 were studied by the technique of circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) spectroscopy, and these spectral results were compared to data involving Eu(CDK) 3 complexes. From the spectral intensities and bandshapes, it was concluded that essentially pure mixed-ligand complexes were prepared by our synthetic procedures, thus discounting the possibility that our isolated materials contained a complex mixture of various chelates. Additional evidence for the nature of the complexes was obtained from elemental analysis and IR spectroscopy.
In vitro synthesis and secretion of lipophorin by the fat body of nondiapause and prediapause larvae of the southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella

Abstract The capacity of the fat body of nondiapause, prediapause and diapause larvae of the southwestern corn borer, Diatraea gradiosella , to synthesize and release lipophorin was examined in vitro using [ 3 H]leucine as the radiotracer. Synthesis and release of [ 3 H]lipophorin by the fat body peaked in 11–13 day-old fifth instar nondiapause larvae, which coincided with their feeding period. The rate of lipophorin synthesis in the fat body of newly ecdysed pupae was extremely low. Synthesis and release of [ 3 H]lipophorin by the fat body of prediapause larvae occurred at the highest rates in 20–35 day-old fifth and sixth instars, and declined to virtually undetectable levels after larvae entered diapause around 40 days-of-age. Immunoprecipitation of [ 3 H]lipophorin from fat body of 13 day-old nondiapause larvae that had been pulse-labeled with [ 3 H]leucine showed that the half life of lipophorin synthesis and processing was about 40 minutes. Release of total protein and lipophorin from the fat body of 13 day-old nondiapause larvae into Grace's medium was inhibited by 56 and 60%, respectively, when 10 μg/ml tunicamycin was incorporated into medium.
Changes in the CA 19-9 antigen and Lewis blood group with pulmonary disease severity in cystic fibrosis.

The altered carbohydrate structure of sputum from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) has been thought to be due to the inflammatory airway response. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CA 19-9 detect sialosylated carbohydrates in mucus. The epitope of CA 19-9 is part of the Lewis A (Lea) blood group antigen. Serum concentrations of CEA and CA 19-9 were determined by radioimmunoassay in 41 CF patients, aged 6–34 years; 16 were asymptomatic Outpatients, and 25 had been admitted for pulmonary exacerbations. There was no difference in CEA between groups. The CA 19-9 serum concentration was elevated in 90% of patients who had at least one of the two Lewis antigens. The CA 19-9 concentration of Inpatients with exacerbations was 2.7 times that of stable Outpatients (263 ± 44 versus 99 ± 13 U/mL P < 0.02). CA 19-9 correlated significantly with age (r = 0.35, P < 0.05), Brasfield score (r = 0.39, P < 0.015), pulmonary function tests, cough severity (r = 0.50, P < 0.001) and NIH clinical score (r = 0.57, P < 0.001). CA 19-9 concentration of Inpatients decreased by 44% from admission to discharge (302 ± 45 to 169 ± 39, P < 0.02). Fourteen of 25 (56%) of the Inpatients were Lea positive versus only 3/15 (20%) of Outpatients who had milder lung disease (P < 0.002). Of the Inpatients, 25% with more advanced lung disease were Le (a+b+), a rare blood group in the normal population, and one not observed in the Outpatients with milder disease. The results suggested that the serum CA 19-9 concentration is an index of pulmonary disease severity in 94–95% of patients with CF who express the Lewis antigens, and it can be used to monitor response to therapy.
Herpes simplex virus 2 ICP0 mutant viruses are avirulent and immunogenic: implications for a genital herpes vaccine.

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) ICP0− mutants are interferon-sensitive, avirulent, and elicit protective immunity against HSV-1 (Virol J, 2006, 3:44). If an ICP0− mutant of herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) exhibited similar properties, such a virus might be used to vaccinate against genital herpes. The current study was initiated to explore this possibility. Several HSV-2 ICP0− mutant viruses were constructed and evaluated in terms of three parameters: i. interferon-sensitivity; ii. virulence in mice; and iii. capacity to elicit protective immunity against HSV-2. One ICP0− mutant virus in particular, HSV-2 0ΔNLS, achieved an optimal balance between avirulence and immunogenicity. HSV-2 0ΔNLS was interferon-sensitive in cultured cells. HSV-2 0ΔNLS replicated to low levels in the eyes of inoculated mice, but was rapidly repressed by an innate, Stat 1-dependent host immune response. HSV-2 0ΔNLS failed to spread from sites of inoculation, and hence produced only inapparent infections. Mice inoculated with HSV-2 0ΔNLS consistently mounted an HSV-specific IgG antibody response, and were consistently protected against lethal challenge with wild-type HSV-2. Based on their avirulence and immunogenicity, we propose that HSV-2 ICP0− mutant viruses merit consideration for their potential to prevent the spread of HSV-2 and genital herpes.
Results of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for angina pectoris early after acute myocardial infarction

Abstract Between May 1980 and July 1985, 70 patients underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) for angina occurring 24 hours after and within 30 days of acute myocardial infarction (32 with Q-wave infarction and 38 with non-Q-wave infarction). One-vessel disease was present in 42 (60%) and multivessel in 28 (40%); the mean ejection fraction was 0.56 (≥0.50 in 77% of patients). PTCA was successful in 56 patients (80%) and after introduction of steerable dilating systems in February 1983 this rate became 86%. The success rate for complete occlusions was 76%. The interval from myocardial infarction to PTCA was similar in patients with successful dilation (12.7 ± 8.1 days) and those without (13.4 ± 8.0 days). PTCA failed in 14 patients (20%); 8 underwent emergency coronary artery bypass for acute occlusion and 4 of 6 patients whose lesions could not be crossed had elective bypass surgery. There was 1 operative death. No patient sustained a Q-wave infarction. Three patients had non-Q-wave infarctions after technically successful PTCAs. Mean follow-up was 27 months (6 to 67 months). Of the 56 patients successfully dilated, 14 (25%) had 15 cardiac events during follow-up: death (1), non-Q-wave infarction (2), repeat PTCA (7), coronary bypass (4) and recurrence of severe angina (1). The cumulative mortality was 3% and the reinfarction rate was 7% (no Q-wave reinfarctions). Forty-two (60%) of the 70 patients were free of complicating events acutely and during follow-up. In patients with angina early after infarction, PTCA appears to be effective. However, the rate of subsequent interventions is high and the natural history of a similar patient population is unkown.
Government publications and health sciences libraries

Abstract The first of a pair of columns describing access to U.S. government publications in health sciences libraries, this article profiles existing documents collections in academic health sciences libraries. The inclusion of government publications in standard health science library reference tools is discussed, and comparisons are made to more general indexes to government publications.
Genetic and molecular analyses of Drosophila contractile protein genes

To further comprehend how synthesis and assembly of myofibrillar components is regulated, several laboratories have undertaken genetic studies of muscle development in Drosophila melanogaster. This small fly lends itself well to classical and molecular genetic approaches, and possesses a set of muscle fibers, termed indirect flight muscles (IFM), which is particularly advantageous for such investigations. Structural and functional analyses of cloned Drosophila contractile protein genes have revealed that protein isoforms can be specified either by multigene families or by differentially splicing primary transcripts of a single gene. Characterization of mutations which disrupt flight muscle development has so far revealed that profound abnormalities are caused by defective alleles of actin, tropomyosin, and myosin heavy-chain genes. Muscle defects associated with particular alleles can be alleviated by integration of corresponding wild-type gene copies into germ-line chromosomes. Strategies for further applying genetic techniques to investigations of Drosophila muscle development are discussed.
Changing trends in the nature of vocal fold motion impairment.

Abstract Purpose Vocal fold motion impairment (VFMI) continues to be a dominant issue in laryngology. The objective of this study is to examine a contemporary population of patients with newly diagnosed VFMI and detect changes in the nature of the cases compared with previous reports. Materials and methods Eighty-four patients with newly diagnosed VFMI are identified from the first author's clinic over a recent 1-year period. Patient demographics, etiology, side, and nature of the impairment are determined from retrospective chart review. Results Of the 84 patients, 47 (56%) are women and 37 (44%) are men. The average age of all patients is 53.4 years. Seventy-five (89.3%) of the 84 VFMIs were unilateral, with 11% (9/84) being bilateral. The left side was affected in 52% (39/75) of the patients; the right side was affected in 48% (36/75) of the unilateral cases. The motion impairment was complete in 61.3% (46/75) of the unilateral cases and partial in the remaining 38.7% (29/75). With regard to etiology, iatrogenic causes were the most prevalent with 47.6% (40/84) of the patients. Idiopathic cases comprised 36.9% (31/84) of the patients. Neoplasms (7.1%, 6/84) and miscellaneous causes (7.1%, 6/84) accounted for smaller portions of the remainder. Of the iatrogenic VFMI cases, 27.5% (11/40) followed cervical spine operations. Chest, intracranial, and thyroid surgery accounted for 6 (15%) patients each, as did endotracheal intubation (n = 6, 15%). Conclusions Compared with previous reports, the incidence of iatrogenic cases reviewed here is relatively high. Anterior cervical spine surgery surpassed thyroidectomy and all other procedures as the most common cause of iatrogenic VFMI in this contemporary study.
SPECIAL ISSUE ON ACCOUNTING AND MODERNITY

Abstract At the 1993 Critical Perspectives on Accounting Conference, Sonja Gallhofer and Jim Haslam presented a paper entitled “Accounting and Modernity” (Gallhofer & Haslam, 1995), in which they describe the rise of a Benthamite (modern) accounting. As a part of their critique of that accounting, they identify accounting's role in focusing attention on profit and loss in Western, capitalist economies, a focus that abstracts corporate agency by expressing it in purely financial terms and thus deflects attention from its social, economic and political consequences. For them, accordingly, contemporary capitalist accounting represents a powerful instrument of a still prevalent panoptical modernity. Earlier, at the 1992 Annual Congress of the European Accounting Association, Christine Cooper and Tony Puxty had presented a paper on the function of visual design in corporate annual reports (Cooper et al., forthcoming). In their paper, contrary to Gallhofer & Haslam, they conceive of the contemporary accounting construct as a simulacral residuum of modernity that in today's postmodern world has lost all relationship to the economic reality it purports to represent. For them, the only meaning left in annual accounts relates to the aestheticism that inheres in the idea of balanced accounts, which, in turn, complements the exquisite visual design of contemporary annual reports.
Physiological and ecological observations concerning the salt-secreting nasal glands of the roadrunner

Abstract 1. 1. The roadrunner ( Geococcyx californianus ) possesses a saltsecreting nasal gland. Gland: body weight ratios are highest in nestlings from 2·5 to 9 days of age, declining thereafter. 2. 2. Mean concentration of nasal secretions for nine roadrunners following an i.v. injection of 1 mg NaCl/g body weight was 1567 mOsmole/l.; mean values for Cl, Na and K were 794, 776 and 69 m-equiv./l., respectively. Mean values for Cl, Na and K in the fluid of the droppings after salt loading were 323, 130 and 177, respectively. 3. 3. Field observations indicate that the salt-secreting nasal gland has the greatest adaptive value in the naked black nestlings, although it also functions in adults. The gland is part of a complex system serving to prevent thermal and osmoregulatory extremes in nestlings and this in turn allows both parents to remain away from the nest, hunting lizards, when these important prey are most active.
Conformations of peptide fragments from the FK506 binding protein: comparison with the native and urea-unfolded states

Abstract The helix-forming tendency of seven peptide fragments corresponding with the entire sequence of the FK506 binding protein (FKBP) has been investigated in aqueous buffer and in 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) using CD and NMR spectroscopy. All fragments exhibited random coil conformations in aqueous buffer, whereas the amount of helix induced in the peptide fragments by TFE varied. The fragment with the highest degree of helicity in TFE corresponded with the single (α-helix in native FKBP. Fragments corresponding with β-strands 2 and 3 also exhibited strong propensity towards helix formation. In contrast, the fragment corresponding with β-strand 1 did not form helix in TFE. The inherent helix-forming tendencies are interpreted in light of the native structure to suggest possible folding nucleation sites. Conformational sampling in each peptide fragment was also compared with that observed in urea-denatured FKBP. With the exception of the fragment corresponding with β-strand 2, the formation of helical structures in the peptide fragments in TFE was correlated with the observation of turn and/or helix conformers in urea-unfolded FKBP. Surprisingly, peptide fragments in aqueous solution were less structured than the corresponding regions in urea-denatured FKBP. The conformational differences between the peptide fragments and unfolded FKBP were not due to the urea buffer or to differences in their rotational correlation times. We conclude that local amino acid interactions are not generally sufficient to account for the formation of non-random conformations in unfolded FKBP. Formation of non-random structures in unfolded FKBP may require stabilization of incipient turn or helical conformations through transient contact with non-local non-polar residues.
Surgical conversion of herpes simplex from an epidermal to a dermal disease.

SUMMARY A new post-surgical form of recurrent herpes simplex is described. It appeared as an erythematous bulla at sites of recurrent herpes from which the prior epidermal lesion had been transversely excised. Histologically, it was characterized by a lesion-free epidermis, a large subepidermal bulla, and a marked inflammatory response in the uppermost dermis, complete with diagnostic multinucleate giant cells. It is postulated that epidermal surgery leaves the area immune to future direct herpetic involvement of the epidermis because it denervates the epidermis. The possibility is raised that such dermal forms of herpes may also occur in the natural course of the disease.
Inflammatory Mediators as Essential Elements in Bone Remodeling

Inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), may have profound effects on skeletal homeostasis. In contrast to physiologic remodeling in which mechanical influences and/or systemic endocrine hormones initiate the remodeling process, in disorders such as RA the recruitment of macrophage lineage cells to sites of inflammation and the action of local osteoclastogenic cytokines associated with the inflammatory process initiate the remodeling process. In both physiologic and pathologic remodeling, osteoclasts appear to be the principal cell type responsible for the bone resorption. In addition, many of the same cytokines and mediators are involved in physiologic and pathologic bone remodeling. These observations have important implications with respect to the development of therapeutic strategies to prevent bone loss in inflammatory conditions.
Rotational Raman scattering from premixed and diffusion flames

Abstract Use of rotational Raman spectroscopy as a flame probe is examined. Results of rotational and vibrational Raman scattering from hydrogen oxygen, methane-air and propane-air flames are presented. Time-averaged temperatures are measured, both below and above the inner cones of the premixed flames, based upon rotational Raman scattering from the major species (N2, O2, H2 and CO2). Corrections for vibrational-rotational interactions and for the effects of rotational transitions from vibratinally excited molecules are included in the temperature calculations. For hydrogen or methane flames, temperatures based upon rotational Raman scattering from N2 or O2 have lower uncertainties (1–4%) than those based upon vibrational Raman scattering (3–9%) because rotational Raman transitions are generally more intense and give rise to many more transitions. Scattering from CO2, H2O, or C3H8 does not seriously interfere with rotational Raman temperature measurements in the flames studied. It is concluded that rotational Raman spectroscopy can be a useful nonperturbing probe of concentrations and temperatures in atmospheric pressure flames. Rotational Raman intensity factors relative to N2, are obtained from room temperature pure rotational Raman spectra to be 2.61 ± 0.13 for O2 and 0.20 ± 0.05 for HCl.
Information Warfare: Military Doctrine and Economic Reality

Since the effective statement by Francis Bacon in 1597 that knowledge is power..., there has been at least some recognition fo information being a key strategic resource of nations. However, not until 400 years later have we recognized that the full value and use of information can be a substitute for material and metal in both strategic and tactical war fighting. It is also in the very late 20th century that the power of information as an economic asset is finding its way into corporate and national economic strategies. The following articles address some of the concepts of information warfare, spanning ideas from strict military doctrine to economic competitiveness. In view of the extraordinary growth and rapidly increasing dependence of nations and the world on information tecnologies and infrastructure (computing, communications and content), the relationship of ideas, issues and vulnerabilities of that infrastructure to information warfare is a timely and important topic for consideration by ASIS members
Past imperfect: The construction of history in the school curriculum and mass media in post-communist Russia and Ukraine

Abstract This introduction to the special section on the history education in contemporary Russia and Ukraine discusses selected articles in the context of comparative scholarship. It isolates important implications for the burgeoning field of political socialization in the post-communist societies.
Transthoracic Ultrasonic Visualization of Coronary Atherosclerosis

Although transthoracic ultrasonic visualization of the coronary arteries is technically demanding, many groups of investigators have demonstrated the feasibility of recording the proximal coronary arteries. Technical advances such as the introduction of anular array transducers and digital recording techniques have improved the prospect of obtaining this examination in a reasonable number of patients. It is now possible to detect atherosclerotic disease in the left main and the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery in 70% to 80% of all patients. This echocardiographic technique appears to be a sensitive means of detecting coronary atherosclerosis. Preliminary data suggest that this examination may be helpful in making the differential diagnosis of ischemic cardiomyopathy and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.
A new approach to assess viability of adult cardiomyocytes: computer-assisted image analysis.

Objective:to develop a computerized procedure to obtain the percentage of rod-shaped cells in preparations of isolated adult cardiomyocytes.Methods:(1) isolated adult rat myocytes were either pretreated with a fixative (0.2% glutaraldehyde, 0.25% Triton X-100 and 0.1% trypan blue) or monitored via phase-contrast optics without fixation; (2) an image field with several hundred cells was captured by a microscope-mounted video camera, which was connected to a frame grabber, and saved as a TIFF file; (3) the image was processed using Mocha software. Analysis consisted of setting the image threshold, an object count, automatic measurements of objects and their classification.Results:though the software could measure many geometrical characteristics, a combination of two parameters, object size and shape factor, was found to be the most efficient. With these parameters, four classes of sample objects were constructed including rod-shaped myocytes, round damaged cells, overlapping cell clusters, and small debris. Test objects were classified automatically based on which sample object their parameters matched the most. Excellent correlation was obtained between manual counts and computer analysis of cell viability (r=0.98).Conclusion:a more efficient method, based on computer-assisted classification of objects, has been developed to assess the viability of isolated adult cardiomyocytes.
Empirical mathematical model for dynamic manganese-enhanced MRI of the murine pancreas for assessment of β-cell function

Abstract Autoimmune ablation of pancreatic β-cells and alteration of its microvasculature may be a predictor of Type I diabetes development. A dynamic manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI) approach and an empirical mathematical model were developed to monitor whole pancreatic β-cell function and vasculature modifications in mice. Normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic FVB/N mice were imaged on a 9.4 T MRI system using a 3D magnetization prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo pulse sequence to characterize low dose manganese kinetics in the pancreas head, body and tail. Average signal enhancement in the pancreas (head, body, and tail) as a function of time was fit by a novel empirical mathematical model characterizing contrast uptake/washout rates and yielding parameters describing peak signal, initial slope, and initial area under the curve. Signal enhancement from glucose-induced manganese uptake was fit by a linear function. The results demonstrated that the diabetic pancreatic tail had a significantly lower contrast uptake rate, smaller initial slope/initial area under the curve, and a smaller rate of Mn uptake following glucose activation (p