cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patient safety: an educational competency.

Although patient safety is of utmost importance in health-care encounters in all countries, preventable instances of harm are common. Crucial to increasing safety are safety cultures, atmospheres of error reporting, teamwork, and communication across roles and levels of authority that allow implementation of established safe procedures as well as innovation. Poor safety cultures are associated with increased error rates, yet surveys of safety attitudes among medical staff indicate that changes are often impeded by existing cultures of individual blame and attitudinal variations in specifi c care roles. Both punitive, blame-focused environments and divergent safety attitudes among care providers discourage the dialogue and teamwork crucial to systems level changes that increase safety. While continued eff orts to improve safety culture among staff are important, lasting change will only occur by engaging with trainees, the future providers who have hitherto largely been excluded from assessments. In a recent study, Hanan Aboumatar and colleagues found that curricular eff orts aimed at improved patient safety could improve trainees’ teamwork and communication skills. These promising fi ndings, how ever, have several limitations. First, the 3-day curriculum refl ects wide variations in quality, depth, and content among existing curricula, and highlights the diffi culty in interpreting overall effi cacy. Second, the intervention was too brief to address previous fi ndings that safety awareness among trainees is not always uniform and might not translate into appropriate safety behaviours. Finally, despite recognition of the need for interdisciplinary education, the study exclusively targeted medical students rather than students in other health-care professions. It is an important reminder that cadres of safety-minded providers will be cultivated only through robust curricula paired with comprehensive induction of teams into strong safety cultures. Nonetheless, the eff ort is crucial if the medical community is to champion patient safety in the future. Acculturation must begin early in undergraduate medical education and include interactions with other healthcare professions. To combat existing negative infl uences and connect safety awareness with corresponding behav iours, it must be sustained longitudinally through clinical experiences and careers through mechanisms like certifi cation and continuing medical education. Uncom promising focus on teamwork, communication, and safety is required—the professional integrity of generations of health-care professionals, and the patient safety agenda they are to be charged with, depend on it.
Composition and sex attractancy of cuticular hydrocarbons from houseflies: Effects of age, sex, and mating

Abstract Analysis of cuticular hydrocarbons from mated and unmated male houseflies, Musca domestica, indicated that only minor changes in composition occurred during the post-eclosion period. In contrast, female hydrocarbon composition changed considerably during the post-eclosion period and was affected by age, mating, and sexual maturation. The cuticular hydrocarbons from sexually mature female houseflies, both mated and unmated, were attractive to male houseflies. Hydrocarbons from unmated male houseflies were not attractive to male houseflies. Hydrocarbons from males held to maturity with females were somewhat attractive to males, probably as a result of physical transfer of the attractant from the females.
Infralimbic cortex activation increases C-FOS expression in intercalated neurons of the amygdala

Recently, it was reported that stimulation of the infralimbic cortex produces a feedforward inhibition of central amygdala neurons. The interest of this observation comes from the fact that the central nucleus is the main output station of the amygdala for conditioned fear responses and evidence that the infralimbic cortex plays a critical role in the extinction of conditioned fear. However, the identity of the neurons mediating this infralimbic-evoked inhibition of the central nucleus remains unknown. Likely candidates are intercalated amygdala neurons. Indeed, these cells receive glutamatergic afferents from the infralimbic cortex, use GABA as a transmitter, and project to the central amygdala. Thus, the present study was undertaken to test whether, in adult rats, the infralimbic cortex can affect the activity of intercalated neurons. To this end, disinhibition of the infralimbic cortex was induced by local infusion of the non-competitive GABA-A receptor antagonist picrotoxin. Subsequently, neuronal activation was determined bilaterally within the amygdala using induction of the immediate early gene Fos. Infralimbic disinhibition produced a significant increase in the number of Fos-immunoreactive intercalated cells bilaterally whereas no change was detected in the central nucleus. In the basolateral amygdaloid complex, increases in the number of Fos-immunoreactive cells only reached significance in the contralateral lateral nucleus. These results suggest that glutamatergic inputs from the infralimbic cortex directly activate intercalated neurons. Thus, our findings raise the possibility that the infralimbic cortex inhibits conditioned fear via the excitation of intercalated cells and the consequent inhibition of central amygdala neurons.
157: The effects of degree of obesity on risk for post-cesarean wound complication

preterm birth 34 and 37 weeks for women with a history of LEEP. Patients with time intervals of 12 months vs. 12 months from LEEP to pregnancy were compared to identify crude odds ratios (OR) and adjusted OR for SAB and preterm birth. RESULTS: For 596 women with history of a LEEP, the median time to pregnancy was 30.8 (2.0-147.1) months. For women whose pregnancy ended in SAB, their time from LEEP to pregnancy was significantly shorter than those who did not have an SAB (20.3 months, range 3.4-89 vs. 31.2 months, range 2-147.1, p-value 0.01). However, there was no difference in time interval for women with a term birth compared to women with a preterm birth. In women with a time interval of 12 months compared to 12 months from LEEP to pregnancy, there was a significantly increased risk for SAB (17.9% vs. 4.6%, aOR 5.6, 95%CI 2.5-12.7). No increased risk was identified between the two groups for preterm birth 34 or 37 weeks (Table). CONCLUSION: Women with a shorter time interval from LEEP to pregnancy have an increased risk for SAB, but not preterm birth. When pregnancy occurs within 12 months of LEEP, there is greater than a 5-fold increased risk of pregnancy loss prior to 12 weeks.
Evaluation of seed treatment insecticides for management of the rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in commercial rice fields in Louisiana

The rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is the most injurious insect pest in US rice production. Yield losses in excess of 25% can occur from severe infestations. Management demonstrations were conducted in the 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 growing seasons to evaluate the use of commercially available insecticides to control L. oryzophilus in commercial rice fields. The demonstration tests, conducted on farms throughout Louisiana, compared the efficacies of recently registered seed treatment insecticides to untreated controls and to foliar applications of pyrethroids. Efficacy was assessed by collecting root/soil core samples three to four weeks after application of permanent flood and counting numbers of larvae and pupae in core samples. Tests were replicated across locations in multiple rice-producing Louisiana parishes. Densities of larvae and pupae in core samples exceeded the larval threshold (three larvae or pupae per core sample) in over 80% of untreated plots/cuts, confirming the ubiquity and severity of this insect as a pest of rice. Use of chlorantraniliprole (Dermacor® X-100, DuPont™ Crop Protection, Wilmington, DE), thiamethoxam (CruiserMaxx® Rice, Syngenta® Crop Protection, Greensboro, NC), and clothianidin (NipsIt Inside®, Valent® USA Corporation, Walnut Creek, CA) seed treatments significantly reduced L. oryzophilus infestation compared to untreated checks. Fewer larvae and pupae were observed in rice treated with chlorantraniliprole than in rice treated with other insecticides.
Expression of Manganese Superoxide Dismutase in Ovine Kidney Cortex during Development

ABSTRACT: Manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) is one of the main antioxidant enzymes in mammalian tissue. Previous studies have shown that the activity of MnSOD increases in the rat kidney during development. To define further the developmental change in MnSOD activity and better understand some of the steps involved in the control of MnSOD expression during kidney development, we measured MnSOD messenger RNA and enzyme activity in the ovine kidney cortex during fetal life, in the newborn period, and in adults. MnSOD mRNA and enzyme activity were detected at 0.65 gestation. Hybridization of the Northern blot with a human MnSOD cDNA probe showed evidence of two transcripts of 4.0 and 1.5 kb, respectively. There was a significant increase with age of MnSOD activity and MnSOD mRNA (p < 0.0001). The abundance of each MnSOD transcript significantly increased with age (p < 0.001). In the fetuses, both transcripts increase in parallel; in newborns and adults the 1.5-kb increase was significantly greater than the 4.0-kb increase. Enzyme activity and mRNA were strongly correlated (r = 0.89, p < 0.0001). These data indicate that the expression of MnSOD is developmentally regulated in the ovine kidney cortex. This increase seems to be dependent largely on pretranslational events.
Robust protein nitration contributes to acetaminophen-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and acute liver injury

Acetaminophen (APAP), a widely used analgesic/antipyretic agent, can cause liver injury through increased nitrative stress, leading to protein nitration. However, the identities of nitrated proteins and their roles in hepatotoxicity are poorly understood. Thus, we aimed at studying the mechanism of APAP-induced hepatotoxicity by systematic identification and characterization of nitrated proteins in the absence or presence of an antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine (NAC). The levels of nitrated proteins markedly increased at 2h in mice exposed to a single APAP dose (350mg/kg ip), which caused severe liver necrosis at 24h. Protein nitration and liver necrosis were minimal in mice exposed to nontoxic 3-hydroxyacetanilide or animals co-treated with APAP and NAC. Mass-spectral analysis of the affinity-purified nitrated proteins identified numerous mitochondrial and cytosolic proteins, including mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase, Mn-superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, ATP synthase, and 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase, involved in antioxidant defense, energy supply, or fatty acid metabolism. Immunoprecipitation followed by immunoblot with anti-3-nitrotyrosine antibody confirmed that the aforementioned proteins were nitrated in APAP-exposed mice but not in NAC-cotreated mice. Consistently, NAC cotreatment significantly restored the suppressed activity of these enzymes. Thus, we demonstrate a new mechanism by which many nitrated proteins with concomitantly suppressed activity promotes APAP-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and hepatotoxicity.
Organic Dye Design Tools for Efficient Photocurrent Generation in Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells: Exciton Binding Energy and Electron Acceptors

The relationship between the exciton binding energies of several pure organic dyes and their chemical structures is explored using density functional theory calculations in order to optimize the molecular design in terms of the light-to-electric energy-conversion efficiency in dye-sensitized solar cell devices. Comparing calculations with measurements reveals that the exciton binding energy and quantum yield are inversely correlated, implying that dyes with lower exciton binding energy produce electric current from the absorbed photons more efficiently. When a strong electron-accepting moiety is inserted in the middle of the dye framework, the light-to-electric energy-conversion behavior significantly deteriorates. As verified by electronic-structure calculations, this is likely due to electron localization near the electron-deficient group. The combined computational and experimental design approach provides insight into the functioning of organic photosensitizing dyes for solar-cell applications. This is exemplified by the development of a novel, all-organic dye (EB-01) exhibiting a power conversion efficiency of over 9%.
Case series of targeted parathyroidectomy with surgeon-performed ultrasonography as the only preoperative imaging study

Background Targeted parathyroidectomy for treatment of sporadic primary hyperparathyroidism (SPHPT) has become the preferred approach in many centers. Therefore, preoperative localization studies are increasingly important. Although surgeon-performed ultrasonography (SUS) is equivalent to sestamibi scanning (MIBI), many surgeons still obtain either a MIBI or both studies before cervical exploration. The goal of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of targeted parathyroidectomy guided by intraoperative PTH monitoring (IPM) based on SUS localization alone. Methods We studied 136 consecutive patients with SPHPT undergoing parathyroidectomy guided by IPM. Ninety-six (71%) patients had only SUS, whereas 40 (29%) also had a negative MIBI (total n = 136). Pre-, intra- and postoperative data were analyzed to evaluate SUS accuracy in localizing abnormal glands. Results SUS correctly identified ≥1 abnormal gland in 90% (123/136) of the patients. Sensitivity and overall accuracy of SUS was 87% and 88%, respectively. Operative success was 99% with multiglandular disease incidence of 10%. Unilateral neck exploration was possible in the majority of patients. Conclusion Preoperative SUS is accurate in localizing hypersecreting glands; however, IPM remains paramount in determining the extent of neck dissection. The use of SUS as a single imaging method obviates the need for MIBI in most patients and decreases costs of parathyroidectomy guided by IPM.
Computational models for simulations of lithium-ion battery cells under constrained compression tests

Abstract In this paper, computational models are developed for simulations of representative volume element (RVE) specimens of lithium-ion battery cells under in-plane constrained compression tests. For cell components in the finite element analyses, the effective compressive moduli are obtained from in-plane constrained compressive tests, the Poisson's ratios are based on the rule of mixture, and the stress–plastic strain curves are obtained from the tensile tests and the rule of mixture. The Gurson's material model is adopted to account for the effect of porosity in separator and electrode sheets. The computational results show that the computational models can be used to examine the micro buckling of the component sheets, the macro buckling of the cell RVE specimens, and the formation of the kinks and shear bands observed in experiments, and to simulate the load–displacement curves of the cell RVE specimens. The initial micro buckling mode of the cover sheets in general agrees with that of an approximate elastic buckling solution. Based on the computational models, the effects of the friction on the deformation pattern and void compaction are identified. Finally, the effects of the initial clearance and biaxial compression on the deformation patterns of the cell RVE specimens are demonstrated.
Supercritical water oxidation of methylphosphonic acid

Laboratory-scale, continuous-flow reactor tests were conducted to confirm the destruction efficiency of methylphosphonic acid (MPA) and the effect of sodium hydroxide on MPA destruction efficiency under supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) conditions. Oxygen was used as the oxidant. The reaction temperatures ranged from 400 to 594 C; the reactor residence times varied from 3 to 83 s; and the oxygen concentrations varied from 110 to 200% of stoichiometric requirements. Fixed parameters included (1) a nominal pressure of 27.6 MPa (4000 psi), (2) a MPA feed concentration of 1000 mg/L, (3) a feed flow rate of 25 g/min, and (4) a NaOH to MPA molar ratio of 2:1. MPA destruction efficiencies (DE) of greater than 99% were achieved at a temperature of 550 C, oxygen concentration of 200% stoichiometric requirements, and reactor residence time of less than 20 s. On the basis of data derived from 43 MPA experiments, kinetic correlations for the DE of MPA were developed. The model predictions agreed well with the experimental data. Furthermore, data derived from 22 MPA/NaOH experiments indicated that NaOH did not affect the overall effectiveness of SCWO for the destruction of MPA under the conditions investigated.
On The Generalization of Error-Correcting WOM Codes

WOM (write once memory) codes are codes for efficiently storing and updating data in a memory whose state transition is irreversible. Storage media that can be classified as WOM includes flash memories, optical disks and punch cards. Error-correcting WOM codes can correct errors besides its regular data updating capability. They are increasingly important for electronic memories using MLCs (multi-level cells), where the stored data are prone to errors. In this paper, we study error-correcting WOM codes that generalize the classic models. In particular, we study codes for jointly storing and updating multiple variables - instead of one variable - in WOMs with multi-level cells. The error-correcting codes we study here are also a natural extension of the recently proposed floating codes. We analyze the performance of the generalized error- correcting WOM codes and present several bounds. The number of valid states for a code is an important measure of its complexity. We present three optimal codes for storing two binary variables in n q-ary cells, where n = 1,2,3, respectively. We prove that among all the codes with the minimum number of valid states, the three codes maximize the total number of times the variables can be updated.
Contact and thin film problems of submicron device structures

Abstract A review and assessment is given of selected problems associated with submicron structures and devices. In conjunction with these problems, thin film fabrication techniques are reviewed with the aim of exploiting the most recent developments.
On the mechanism of UV and gamma-ray-induced intrachromosomal recombination in yeast cells synchronized in different stages of the cell cycle.

A genetic system selecting for deletion events (DEL recombination) due to intrachromosomal recombination has previously been constructed in the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae. Intrachromosomal recombination is inducible by chemical and physical carcinogens. We wanted to understand better the mechanism of induced DEL recombination and to attempt to determine in which phase of the cell cycle DEL recombination is inducible. Yeast cells were arrested at specific phases of the cell cycle, irradiated with UV or γ-rays, and assayed for DEL recombination and interchromosomal recombination. In addition, the contribution of intrachromatid crossing-over to the number of radiation induced DEL recombination events was directly investigated at different phases of the cell cycle. UV irradiation induced DEL recombination preferentially in S phase, while γ-rays induced DEL recombination in every phase of the cell cycle including G1. UV and γ-radiation induced intrachromatid crossing over preferentially in G1, but it accounted at the most for only 14% of the induced DEL recombination events. The possibility is discussed that single-strand annealing or one-sided invasion events, which can occur in G1 and may be induced by a double-strand break intermediate, may be responsible for a large proportion of the induced DEL recombination events.
Managerial coaching: A review of the literature

Managerial coaching has become increasingly popular despite limited empirical evidence of its impact on the individuals giving and receiving coaching, and its impact on the workplace overall. This article reviews the literature on the definition of practice of managerial coaching, and what managerial coaching looks like in terms of skills and behaviors, and examines the empirical evidence that currently exists. Models representing new current research and gaps within the literature are advanced, and future research implications are explored.
Signficance of a Q wave in lead I in the newborn

We present 11 healthy newborns whose electrocardiograms had a pure Q wave in lead I and who did not have a myocardial infarction clinically. We propose that in the healthy newborn, a pure Q wave in lead I may be due to increased right ventricular mass, not myocardial infarction.
Multiresolution Temporal Preprocessing and Lateral Inhibition

In order to accurately describe and detect motion, a high sensitivity to temporal discontinuities in intensity must be maintained over a wide range of velocities. We present a highly parallel computing structure that optimizes the detection of these discontinuities. The architecture consists of three, hierarchically organized, two-dimensional layers of hexagonal operators with overlapping receptive fields. Two types of INPUT operators generate responses of opposite polarity and different onset delay. The CONTEXT operators act to enhance and rectify this difference. Contextual information is used via lateral inhibition pathways to reset the thresholds for the INPUT and the OUTPUT operators thus controlling temporal sensitivity of the module. This facilitates the detection of relative motion. The actual output of our module is approximately a difference of Gaussians of the absolute value of the derivative of intensity with respect to time. Results of simulations show that uniform motion throughout the visual field produces a small response. When motion is limited to any small part of the visual field, the response at the output of the module is approxi-mately a linear function of velocity.
Nuclear structure of the closed subshell nucleus 90 Zr studied with the ( n , n ′ γ ) reaction

States in ${}^{90}\mathrm{Zr}$ have been observed with the ${(n,n}^{\ensuremath{'}}\ensuremath{\gamma})$ reaction using both spallation and monoenergetic accelerator-produced neutrons. A scheme comprised of 81 levels and 157 transitions was constructed concentrating on levels below 5.6 MeV in excitation energy. Spins have been determined by considering data from all experimental studies performed for ${}^{90}\mathrm{Zr}.$ Lifetimes have been deduced using the Doppler-shift attenuation method for many of the states, and transition rates have been obtained. A spherical shell-model interpretation in terms of particle-hole excitations assuming a ${}^{88}\mathrm{Sr}$ closed core is given. In some cases, enhancements in $B(M1)$ and $B(E2)$ values are observed that cannot be explained by assuming simple particle-hole excitations. Shell-model calculations using an extended $\mathrm{fpg}$-shell-model space reproduce the spectrum of excited states very well, and the gross features of the $B(M1)$ and $B(E2)$ transition rates. Transition rates for individual levels show discrepancies between calculations and experimental values.
A middleware approach for pipelining communications in clusters

The Pipelining Communications Middleware (PCM) approach provides a flexible, simple, high-performance mechanism to connect parallel programs running on high performance computers or clusters. This approach enables parallel programs to communicate and coordinate with each other to address larger problems than a single program can solve. The motivation behind the PCM approach grew out of using files as an intermediate transfer stage between processing by different programs. Our approach supersedes this practice by using streaming data set transfers as an "online" communication channel between simultaneously active parallel programs. Thus, the PCM approach addresses the issue of sending data from a parallel program to another parallel program without exposing details such as number of nodes allocated to the program, specific node identifiers, etc. This paper outlines and analyzes our proposed computation and communication model to provide efficient and convenient communications between parallel programs running on high performance computing systems or clusters. We also discuss the PCM challenges as well as current PCM implementations. Our approach achieves scalability, transparency, coordination, synchronization and flow control, and efficient programming. We experimented with data parallel applications to evaluate the performance of the PCM approach. Our experiment results show that the PCM approach achieves nearly ideal throughput that scales linearly with the underlying network medium speed. PCM performs well with small and large data transfers. Furthermore, our experiments show that network infrastructure plays the most significant role in the PCM performance.
Focal boundary value problems for nonlinear difference equations, II

On considere l'unicite des solutions impliquant l'existence des solutions de problemes aux valeurs limites de type focal pour l'equation aux differences non lineaire d'ordre n: u(t+n)=f(t,u(t),…,u(t+n−1)), ou f: [a,+∞)×R n →R est continue et l'equation u n+1 =f(t,u 1 ,…,u n ) peut etre resolue pour u 1 comme fonction continue des variables t,u 2 ,…,u u+1
In pursuit of the elusive relationship between selected cognitive abilities and learning

Abstract The present research consists of two experiments that attempt to produce differential learning-ability relationships on the basis of selected learning task variations. In the first experiment, 120 5th-graders performed a cued recall task under one of three instructional conditions. In the second, 144 10th-graders recalled items of high and low meaningfulness under constrained or free conditions of recall. Although the task variations produced mean performance differences, the expected patterns of covariation between learning and the ability markers of reasoning, spatial ability, and digit span did not materialize. These results, taken with those of previous investigations, suggest that the nonreplicability characteristic of this domain may be traced to the relatively impure sources of individual differences variance associated with psychometric abilities.
Apolipoprotein-E messenger RNA in rat ovary is expressed in theca and interstitial cells and presumptive macrophage, but not in granulosa cells.

Apolipoprotein-E (apoE) is a constituent of various lipoproteins and is a ligand for cellular lipoprotein receptors. Unlike most apolipoproteins, apoE is synthesized in peripheral tissues, including those engaged in steroidogenesis. ApoE expression in adrenal cells inhibits cholesterol utilization for steroid synthesis and blocks signal transduction via the protein kinase-A pathway. In cultured ovarian thecal/interstitial cells, exogenous apoE has been shown to inhibit LH-induced androgen synthesis. These findings support a role for apoE as an autocrine or paracrine factor involved in regulating steroidogenesis. In the present study in situ hybridization was used to identify cell types that express apoE mRNA in ovaries from rats with a 4-day estrous cycle, from pregnant rats, from immature rats treated with PMSG to stimulate follicular development, and from PMSG-treated rats that were subsequently administered hCG to stimulate ovulation and luteinization. ApoE mRNA was localized to theca and interstitial ...
Identification and partial purification of embryonic mouse genital protein(s) stimulating phospholipase-A2 and inducing masculinization in vitro.

The present study was designed to test whether phospholipase-A2 stimulatory protein (PLSP) has any role during androgen-induced masculine differentiation. Thus, an investigation was made to identify such a protein in the fetal genital tract and to test whether this protein can produce masculinization in vitro. Fetal tracts (15/batch) containing genital ducts and urogenital sinus from male, female, and testosterone-exposed (40 mg/kg.day, from days 13–17 of gestation) female embryonic mice on day 18 of gestation were fractionated using Bio-Rad P-100 gel filtration, DEAE-cellulose, and carboxymethyl- Sephadex chromatography. Phospholipase-A2 (PLA2) stimulatory activity was identified at every step of purification. The final preparation stimulated both bee venom and mouse genital PLA2; however, it had no effect on PLC. The preparation lost its PLA2 stimulatory activity after pronase treatment. The partially purified PLSP fraction produced two bands (63K and 55K), as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel el...
The right period for a Siesta

Drosophila melanogaster has a broad geographic range. Daily activity in this species exhibits seasonality such that midday rest expands on long warm days, possibly to avoid desiccation. Comparative analyses show that temperature-dependent control of this behavior is partly linked to patterns of per mRNA splicing that are absent in Drosophila yakuba, a related species native to warmer climates with little seasonal change.
Fracture and strength properties of selected austenitic stainless steels at cryogenic temperatures

Abstract Austenitic stainless steels have an excellent combination of mechanical and physical properties for load-bearing structures of large superconducting magnets for plasma containment in magnetic fusion experiments. To assess their relative suitability fracture toughness, fatigue crack growth, and tensile properties data for five austenitic steels at 295, 76, and 4 K have been obtained. The steels were AISI 304, 316, 304LN, and 316LN, and an Fe-21cr-12Ni-5Mn alloy with a higher nitrogen content than the other four grades. The two principal findings were the systematic variation of yield strength with nitrogen content and a systematic inverse correlation between fracture toughness and yield strength. Data from previous studies are reviewed which confirm the trends of the present data.
Unilateral Retinoblastoma with Acquired Monosomy 7 and Secondary Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia

Patients with a nongenetic form of retinoblastoma are not particularly at high risk of developing second malignant neoplasms. We report here a case of treatment-related leukemia (secondary leukemia) with acquired monosomy 7, in a child with unilateral retinoblastoma.
Relationship of Originality to Kirton's Scale for Innovators and Adaptors

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between originality and Kirton's scale for innovators and adaptors. Kirton's scale measures the way a person solves problems or style, while creativity has been described as level or the efficiency in solving problems. Kirton's 1976 theory states the two variables should not be related; however, careful reading of the manuals of both tests indicates innovators and creative individuals have similar characteristics. Past research has yielded mixed results. For 110 university students, given Sounds and Images and the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory, a significant negative correlation was obtained for adaptors but none for innovators or the entire sample. Perhaps innovation and creativity are related, but only for highly creative persons.
Application of thin films method in the study of alkali–semiconductor interaction

The computation of atomic structure from first principles is a challenging theoretical endeavor. The complexity grows substantially when dealing with films and surfaces, because one can no longer exploit the three-dimensional periodicity. Here we expound upon the self-consistent field pseudopotential slab method with local density approximation to study thin films and ordered overlayers on surfaces. Plane wave basis sets are used because they are free from linear dependency problems due to their orthonormal properties. The results are illustrated by investigating the atomic structure of metal overlayers on the Si(001)-2 × 1 surface at initial coverages. Major emphasis is on alkali metals, but Al is included for comparative purposes. The nature of the interaction and the role of Peierls distortions in metal–semiconductor energetics are presented. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Internet protocols for multimedia communications. II. Resource reservation, transport, and application protocols

Part I (ibid., July-Oct. 1997) surveyed the evolution of Internet protocols and applications and described the Internet protocol IPv6 in detail. This part discusses new developments at the upper layers that support real-time Internet multimedia, such as audio and video conferencing and shared whiteboard applications. Application-level framing (ALF), proposed in 1990 for protocol and application design, now forms the basis for many new Internet protocols and applications, including Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) and Mbone multimedia applications. RTP supports real-time applications that adapt to changing network situations to maintain the quality of service (QoS). The Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP) provides new Internet services with higher quality than best-effort by means of resource reservations.
Forchlorfenuron Alters Mammalian Septin Assembly, Organization, and Dynamics

Septins are filamentous GTPases that associate with cell membranes and the cytoskeleton and play essential roles in cell division and cellular morphogenesis. Septins are implicated in many human diseases including cancer and neuropathies. Small molecules that reversibly perturb septin organization and function would be valuable tools for dissecting septin functions and could be used for therapeutic treatment of septin-related diseases. Forchlorfenuron (FCF) is a plant cytokinin previously shown to disrupt septin localization in budding yeast. However, it is unknown whether FCF directly targets septins and whether it affects septin organization and functions in mammalian cells. Here, we show that FCF alters septin assembly in vitro without affecting either actin or tubulin polymerization. In live mammalian cells, FCF dampens septin dynamics and induces the assembly of abnormally large septin structures. FCF has a low level of cytotoxicity, and these effects are reversed upon FCF washout. Significantly, FCF treatment induces mitotic and cell migration defects that phenocopy the effects of septin depletion by small interfering RNA. We conclude that FCF is a promising tool to study mammalian septin organization and functions.
Cardiovascular disease in the elderly: current considerations.

Abstract Today, elderly patients account for one-third of the total United States health care costs and for one-third of all drug prescriptions. As the United States population grows older, health care costs are expected to grow proportionately unless cost reduction strategies are developed. Cardiovascular disease is ranked as the primary cause of mortality and disability in this age group. It is estimated that 80% of cardiovascular disease in the elderly arises as complications of atherosclerosis. Whereas modern technologic advances—cardiac catheterization, coronary angiography, coronary angioplasty, coronary bypass surgery, pacemaker insertion—can help to treat the effects of atherosclerosis, such advances are costly. The most effective cost reduction strategy lies in prevention of atherosclerosis and its complications. A number of studies have linked reduction of risk factors for atherosclerosis to reduction of coronary disease events. However, it is not certain that these data apply directly to the elderly; more research is necessary to develop effective preventive and management strategies.
A mathematical model to optimize decisions to impact multi-attribute rankings

We formulate the problem of how to climb in multi-attribute rankings with known weights using mathematical optimization. A model is derived based on familiar practices used in rankings in higher education where several attributes are combined using known weights to obtain a score. The method applies in any situation where multiple attributes are used to rank entities. We invoke several assumptions such as independence among attributes and that administrators can affect the values of some of the attributes and know the cost of doing so. Our results suggest that a strategy to advance in the rankings is to focus on modifying the value of fewer rather than more attributes. The model is generalized to allow for synergies and antagonisms among the attributes.
Early integration of context during lexical access of homonym meanings

Evidence that lexical access is guided by context was obtained using a cross-modal, semantic priming paradigm. Subjects heard homonyms presented in context that favored only one meaning and made lexical decisions to contextually appropriate, inappropriate, or unrelated target words that were presented visually. In Experiment 1, responses were facilitated for only the contextually appropriate targets, at both 50 and 200 ms interstimulus intervals. In Experiment 2, the range of interstimulus intervals was increased and subjects were encouraged to consider multiple meanings of homonyms. Even with this orientation, lexical decisions were facilitated for only the contextually appropriate targets. This pattern of selective access was maintained across the full-time course of automatic activation, suggesting that the lexicon operates interactively rather than autonomously. These findings indicate that multiple, context-independent access of word meanings should not continue to be viewed as a mandatory operation of the language comprehension system.
Views from Understanding Evolution: Parsimonious Explanations for Punctuated Patterns

Antievolution groups have frequently pointed to the debate prompted by Niles Eldredge and Stephen Gould’s (1972) proposal of punctuated equilibria with triumph. “Look,” they’ve claimed, “biologists can’t even agree among themselves how evolution works. The theory must be failing.” In the article included in this issue, “Editor’s Corner: The Early “Evolution” of “Punctuated Equilibria”,” Niles Eldredge (2008) takes on that mischaracterization. He describes the roots of punctuated equilibria and reveals how it builds on (not tears down!) established evolutionary theory. The idea of punctuated equilibria was inspired by a mysterious pattern in the fossil record. Many fossil organisms have retained the same anatomy for millions of years, appearing to evolve in body form hardly at all—a phenomenon that Eldredge and Gould termed stasis. Then, suddenly, the organisms seem to have experienced a jolt of evolution, quickly evolving into related, but new, species (Fig. 1a,b). Paleontologists see this pattern in many (although far from all) fossil organisms—from coral-like marine bryozoans to large terrestrial mammals, like horses (Gould and Eldredge 1993). Such observations are at odds with the pattern we might typically imagine evolution generating: slow and steady change (Fig. 1c)—in which, for example, tracing fossils through rock layers that correspond to a slow cooling in Earth’s climate reveals the gradual evolution of traits suited to colder temperatures. This picture of slow evolution, which Eldredge and Gould termed phyletic gradualism, fits well with one of the keystones of evolutionary theory: natural selection, the process responsible for adapting populations to changes in their environments. It is easy to imagine natural selection, for example, slowly transforming a delicate tropical species into a hardy, well-insulated, coldtolerant species over many millions of years. In some cases, we do observe such gradualistic patterns in the fossil record, but in many others, we observe evolution in apparent fits and starts. If the evolutionary mechanism of natural selection helps explain apparently gradual evolution, what mechanism can help explain punctuated patterns? Do we need to throw out everything we know about how evolution works or search for an as-yet-undiscovered evolutionary process? No. The beauty of punctuated equilibria is that the idea explains the apparent jolts of evolution seen in the fossil record with evolutionary processes that we already know to be at work in the world: speciation, migration, natural selection, and genetic drift. Eldredge and Gould simply showed how these mechanisms could work together to produce punctuated patterns in fossils. To see exactly how their idea works, it will help to review two modes of speciation: allopatric and peripatric speciation.
Diepoxybutane and diepoxyoctane interstrand cross-linking of the 5S DNA nucleosomal core particle.

Diepoxyalkanes form interstrand cross-links in DNA oligomers preferentially at 5‘-GNC sites. We have examined cross-linking by 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane (DEB) and 1,2,7,8-diepoxyoctane (DEO) within a fragment of the 5S RNA gene of Xenopus borealis in both the free and nucleosomal states. Sites and efficiencies of interstrand cross-linking were probed through denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and quantitative phosphorimagery. Both agents targeted 5‘-GNC sites for cross-linking in the restriction fragment in its free state, and DEO also targeted 5‘-GNNC sites. Monoalkylation occurred at all deoxyguanosines. The sites for both monoalkylation and interstrand cross-linking were similar in nucleosomal and free DNA, and cross-linked DNA was cleanly incorporated into the core particle structure. These findings suggest that the 5S core particle is able to tolerate any structural abnormalities induced by diepoxide cross-linking.
The Election of Harold Washington: Black Voting Patterns in the 1983 Chicago Mayoral Race

The recent election of Harold Washington as the first black mayor of Chicago has to be one of the single most important events in that city's long and illustrious history. The key to his election in both primary and general election was the extraordinary support he received from black voters. It is important to note that the black voter turnout in the general election was higher than any turnout in presidential elections with the exception of the Johnson-Goldwater race in 1964.
Charisma under Crisis: Presidential Leadership, Rhetoric, and Media Responses Before and After the September 11th Terrorist Attacks

Abstract Scholars since Weber have suggested that times of crisis may create an increased opportunity for charismatic leadership to emerge. We examine the rhetorical content of President George W. Bush's public speeches before and after the terrorist attacks of September 11th to determine if the context of crisis affected the President's communications with the American people. We also examined how the media's portrayal of President Bush may have changed after the crisis. Results suggest that the President's rhetorical language became more charismatic after the crisis of 9/11. In addition, the media's portrayal of Bush reflected a similar increase in charismatic rhetoric, suggesting an increased receptivity to a more charismatically based leadership relationship after the crisis.
Causes of recurrent unemployment?An empirical analysis

Die Determinanten erneuter Betroffenheit von Arbeitslosigkeit werden mittels Individualdaten fur einen lokalen Arbeitsmarkt uber einen Zeitraum von rund drei Jahren untersucht. Dazu wird ein Probit-Modell mit personlichen Charakteristika der ehemals Arbeitslosen, der individuellen Arbeitsmarktbiographie im Anschlus an Arbeitslosigkeit, einem Arbeitsmarktindikator und der Arbeitslosenunterstutzung als erklarenden Variablen spezifiziert. Die Wahrscheinlichkeit erneuter Betroffenheit von Arbeitslosigkeit hangt primar von bestimmten personlichen Merkmalen ab. Das Verhaltnis der Zahl der Arbeitslosen zur Zahl der offenen Stellen auf berufsspezifischen Teilarbeitsmarkten (Stellenandrangszahl) hat nur einen geringen Effekt, die vergangene Arbeitsmarktbiographie ubt nur bei den Mannern einen statistisch signifikanten Effekt aus. Der Einflus der Arbeitslosenunterstutzung ist weder bei den Mannern noch bei den Frauen statistisch signifikant.
Competing Initial Reactions at Transition-Metal/Silicon Interfaces

The process of suicide formation by contact reaction at metal/Si interfaces normally involves rather uniform motion of the growth fronts which separate metal, suicide, and Si regions, as has been observed for suicide growth in many transition-metal/Si systems. At lower temperatures, however, the reaction behavior can be complicated significantly by the presence of other material reactions which may compete with interfacial suicide formation. For refractory metals, strong interfacial mixing over considerable depth (~ 100 A or more) is observed at temperatures too low for the normal interfacial suicide formation process to contribute; the highly nonuniform character of this reaction, as shown by ion scattering and TEM studies, suggests that other material reactions (e.g., grain boundary diffusion) must dominate the interfacial chemistry at low temperature. In a similar way, anomalous and nonuniform reaction behavior during the low temperature deposition of initial transition metal layers on Si apparently involves surface diffusion processes which are faster than interfacial suicide formation.
Magnetic properties of copper acetate at low temperatures

Abstract The magnetic behaviour of a cupric acetate monohydrate single crystal is discussed. Results reported by various workers are discussed in the light of crystal structure and Bleaney and Bowers theory. It is suggested that Guha's magnetic data are erroneous, and that his suggestion of anisotropic exchange interaction is unnecessary. Bleaney and Bowers theory is shown to give good agreement with experimental results with a constant value of exchange integral and without including anisotropic exchange term in the Hamiltonian.
In Vitro Study of Pulsatile Flow Through a Motionless Diode Valve in the Pulmonary Position

Pulmonary circulation shows a tolerance for mild regurgitation and pressure gradient. [1]. Given these tolerances, we have explored using a fluid diode as a pulmonary valve. Camp et al showed that diode valves are able to regulate flow in the pulmonary position with promising results and could be tolerated using a pig model [2, 3]. Flow and shear stress patterns are two other hemodynamic concerns that must be considered during heart valve design. Elevated bulk flow shear stresses, wall shear stresses, and turbulent stresses within bioprostheses and mechanical valve flow fields are recognized as a cause of cell and platelet damage, initiating platelet activation and triggers for thrombogenesis [4–7]. In this study, we conduct in vitro flow field analysis of the flow downstream of a proposed prototype diode valve in order to observe the flow and shear stress patterns.Copyright © 2009 by ASME