cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Trouble with Morality: The Effects of 12-Step Discourse on Addicts’ Decision-Making

Since its development in the 1960s, researchers have extensively scrutinized methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) as a medical response to heroin addiction. Studies consistently find that MMT is more successful than other treatment models in the reduction of opiate/opioid misuse, the transmission of diseases like HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C, and criminal arrest and conviction rates. Nonetheless, a significant portion of active and former heroin addicts view MMT negatively and-perhaps as a result-MMT is vastly underused. This study examines the effects of 12-Step discourses on the opinions and treatment decisions of active heroin addicts, addicts in MMT, and addicts in 12-Step treatment programs. The study finds the abstinence/morality based discourse of drug addiction and treatment is pervasive among addicts and their non-drug using relations and peers alike; moreover, addicts have internalized this narrative, oftentimes despite their own knowledge of MMT's success and positive personal experiences. The findings suggest that the dominance of abstinence/morality narratives contributes to MMT's poor reputation among, and low use rate by current and former heroin addicts and that the power of the dominant discourse is such that it produces a desire to buy into its values and tenets even when it is against the individual's interests to do so.
A conservative viewpoint on linkage in Alzheimer's disease

Linkage data in Alzheimer's disease have not firmly established a genetic locus on chromosome 21 in early onset disease families. There is little or no support for a chromosome 21 locus in late onset families. Differences in the selection of families and the analysis of data accounts for the differences in interpretation. The actual location of a genetic locus (or loci) for Alzheimer's disease in the human genome will not be influenced by this controversy; more data from exclusion mapping and the use of several methods of linkage analysis will answer current questions.
Maximal rank-one spaces of matrices over chain semirings. II. (u, i)-spaces

Abstract Vectors, matrices, and various spaces of matrices over the Boolean (0,1) algebra have been studied extensively along with their applications to graph theory. The Boolean (0,1) algebra has been generalized to a class of semirings called chain semirings. This class includes the fuzzy interval. A class of maximal (relative to containment) rank-1 spaces of matrices over chain semirings is identified.
Here, there, everywhere

Darwin's Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life. By Daniel C. Dennett. Simon and Schuster Pp. 586. $30.
Late Quaternary coastal and inner shelf stratigraphy, Apalachicola Delta region, Florida

Abstract Since the beginning of the Tertiary the sedimentology of the Gulf of Mexico Basin has been dominated by the depositional activity of the Mississippi River. The sedimentologic influence of the Mississippi diminishes with distance east or west of the Louisiana shelf, however. The Texas and northwest Florida shelf margins, for example, are characterized by a series of smaller deltas. In the inner and mid-shelf areas of these regions the near-surface sedimentary units include infilled stream channels and small deltas. Such features are commonly observed in sub-bottom seismic records from the middle and inner shelf of the northeastern Gulf, along the Apalachicola River coast of northwest Florida. The Apalachicola River is the principal source of clastic sediment to the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. During the late Holocene virtually all of the river's sediment load has been deposited in the modern Apalachicola Delta and in the river's estuary, Apalachicola Bay, which has been filling rapidly. During late Quaternary lowstands, prior to the development of the modern estuary, the river traversed the present-day inner and mid-shelf, incising a network of channels. Based on seismic records, many of these buried shelf channels were considerably larger than their modern counterparts. During lowstands the Apalachicola River also deposited coarse sediment on the shelf as deltaic and associated river-mouth sediments. These deposits comprise the modern near-surface sediments of the inner and middle shelf. An investigation of subsurface sedimentary features observed in seismic profiles provides details on the late Quaternary development of the northeastern Gulf of Mexico shelf. Seismic reflection profiles obtained on the inner and mid-shelf regions of northwest Florida reveal an approximately 50 m thickness of late Quaternary sediments, comprised of two and sometimes three discrete clastic sequences. Two lower fluvial sequences total as much as 40–50 m in thickness. A transgressive marine sand deposit overlies the older features in some places, varying in thickness from 0 to 5 m. Identification of seismic facies, combined with stratigraphic data from a suite of coastal boreholes, enables correlation of offshore seismic stratigraphic units with late Tertiary and Quaternary coastal stratigraphy.
Pregnancy-associated polyuria in familial renal glycosuria.

A pregnant woman presented at gestational week 28 with loss of consciousness and profound polyuria. Further characterization revealed osmotic diuresis due to massive glycosuria without hyperglycemia. Glycosuria reduced substantially postpartum, from ∼100 to ∼30 g/1.73 m 2 per day. DNA sequencing analysis of the SLC5A2 gene encoding the renal glucose transporter SGLT2 showed a homozygous frame-shift mutation (occurring after the glutamine at amino acid 168 and leading to premature termination of the protein at amino acid 186) diagnostic of familial renal glycosuria. Pregnant women with familial renal glycosuria can be at risk of profound polyuria during pregnancy due to the associated increase in glycosuria. These findings also have implications for the use of SGLT2 inhibitors in clinical practice.
Randomized double-blind study of intravenous tocainide versus lidocaine for suppression of ventricular arrhythmias after cardiac surgery.

To compare the therapeutic efficacy and safety of intravenous tocainide with that of intravenous lidocaine in patients with ventricular arrhythmias after cardiac surgery, 25 patients were randomized to either agent in a double-blind manner. Tocainide was given in 16 patients as a 250 mg bolus followed by a loading infusion of 500 mg over 15 minutes and a maintenance infusion of 33.3 mg/min. Lidocaine was administered in 9 patients as a 100 mg bolus followed by a loading infusion of 60 mg over 15 minutes and a maintenance infusion of 1.4 mg/min. Therapy was continued for 24 hours in initially responding patients. With analysis of 24-h taped electrocardiograms it was found that single premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) were suppressed by tocainide by more than 80% in 94% of patients and by lidocaine in 75% of patients (p = NS). Couplets and ventricular tachycardia events were eliminated in all patients by either drug. Multiform PVCs were abolished in 94% of the patients after tocainide and in 75% after lidocaine (p = NS). Average overall success over the 24 hours with more than 80% suppression of single PVCs and simultaneous elimination of higher forms of arrhythmia was 71% with tocainide and 59% with lidocaine (p = NS). Adverse effects were negligible, with only one patient in the lidocaine group developing diaphoresis without necessitating termination of therapy. Treatment rapidly produced and then maintained blood levels of 4-10 mg/1 for tocainide and 1-4 mg/1 for lidocaine. We conclude that intravenous tocainide is well tolerated and has comparable efficacy to lidocaine in the acute therapy of postcardiac surgery ventricular arrhythmias.
Detection of Heterozygous Carriers in Glycogen Storage Disease of the Liver (von Gierke's Disease)

IN 1929, von Gierke1 described a rare congenital disorder of carbohydrate metabolism characterized by excessive deposition of glycogen in various organs of the body. Cori and Cori2 have shown that there is a deficiency of glucose-6-phosphatase activity in the liver in such patients. The occurrence of this condition in siblings3 and among the offsprings of consanguineous matings4, together with its equal distribution in both sexes, suggests that it is probably transmitted by a single autosomal recessive gene. In this situation, one would expect the disease to occur only in persons who receive two of the abnormal genes, one from each parent. If an individual is heterozygous for the condition, he will usually be free of clinical symptoms. Careful biochemical studies, however, might reveal minor departures from the norm5.
Random vibrations of externally damped viscoelastic Timoshenko beams with general boundary conditions

A complex mode approach is presented. The eigenfunction of the original and adjoint equations are used to decouple the equations. Any conventional or nonstandard boundary conditions at beam ends can be handled with equal ease
Positive solutions of quasilinear parabolic systems with Dirichlet boundary condition

Abstract Coupled systems for a class of quasilinear parabolic equations and the corresponding elliptic systems, including systems of parabolic and ordinary differential equations are investigated. The aim of this paper is to show the existence, uniqueness, and asymptotic behavior of time-dependent solutions. Also investigated is the existence of positive maximal and minimal solutions of the corresponding quasilinear elliptic system. The elliptic operators in both systems are allowed to be degenerate in the sense that the density-dependent diffusion coefficients D i ( u i ) may have the property D i ( 0 ) = 0 for some or all i = 1 , … , N , and the boundary condition is u i = 0 . Using the method of upper and lower solutions, we show that a unique global classical time-dependent solution exists and converges to the maximal solution for one class of initial functions and it converges to the minimal solution for another class of initial functions; and if the maximal and minimal solutions coincide then the steady-state solution is unique and the time-dependent solution converges to the unique solution. Applications of these results are given to three model problems, including a scalar polynomial growth problem, a coupled system of polynomial growth problem, and a two component competition model in ecology.
Careers in laboratory Animal science: Taking the roads less traveled

One started as an academic philosopher and ended up as an architect for a key piece of federal animal welfare legislation and one of the world's foremost authorities on the topics of animal rights and biomedical research ethics. Another traveled from New England to San Francisco to Barbados to Africa and back, studying the behavior patterns of dozens of different species of nonhuman primates in order to better understand their social and environmental needs. Yet a third got her start wrangling swine at a research center in Minnesota, then rose through the ranks of AALAS to become the organization's most recently elected President. Lab Animal has invited eight pioneers, icons, and unique personalities from the animal research community to provide a brief insight into who they are, where they are, and how they got there. All of the individuals in the pages ahead have had interesting and unusual experiences in the field of laboratory animal science, either pursuing careers in unorthodox venues, or finding themselves unexpectedly immersed in the world of animal research after starting off somewhere entirely different. Their various stories provide a perspective on some of the surprising possibilities and potential career choices that are available to those with an interest in the fields of laboratory animal science or veterinary medicine.
Negotiating Authority through Jointly Constructing the Course Curriculum.

Understanding how authority is negotiated in teacher education classrooms can inform efforts to foster democratic teacher education practices and prepare future teachers to teach democratically. We know very little, however, about how authority is negotiated in different classroom contexts, particularly in teacher education settings. This qualitative study examined how authority was negotiated in an undergraduate teacher education course in which I – as the teacher of the course – involved students in actively determining the content, method, and assessment of the course through jointly constructing the course curriculum. Using self-study methodology to understand more deeply the problems embedded in my practice as a beginning teacher-educator, I generated themes from the data using the constant comparative method. The findings suggest that deriving legitimacy from mutually recognized sources, working from shared purposes, and confronting students’ deeply rooted familiarity with authoritarian teaching pra...
Post Keynesian Employment Analysis and the Macroeconomics of OECD Unemployment

The Post Keynesian (hereafter PK) theory of employment is derived from Keynes' chapter 3 (1936a) 'The Principle of Effective Demand' where labourhire demand is derived from an effective demand point determined in the product markets.' Tobin (1992, p. 392) states this chapter is 'the most important innovation of the General Theoiy'. The effective demand principle means that there is an 'employment function' (Keynes, 1936a, ch. 20) relating alternate labour-hire decisions to alternate points of effective demand. There is no aggregate demand for labour schedule with the real wage as the independent variable (Davidson, 1983). Natural unemployment rate theories, however, (e.g., Phelps (1994, p. 10); Layard et al. (hereafter LNJ) (1991, p. 20); Blanchard and Katz (hereafter BK) (1997, p. 55) invoke the equivalent of an aggregate demand for labour function under other names, e.g., a 'price-setting relation' or a 'demand wage relation'. These latter functions depend on the 'characteristics of the production function ... [and] the markup of price over marginal costs' (BK, 1997, p. 55), i.e., aggregate labour demand is related to either the marginal productivity of labour (MPL) or, in imperfect competition, the marginal revenue product of labour (MRPL). Three restrictive axioms are required to relate these marginal productivity functions to an aggregate demand for labour curve. Keynes' revolutionary 'principle of effective demand', however, required overthrowing these classical axioms (Davidson, 1984). Keynes
Behavior of the spermatozoon during sperm-blastomere fusion and its significance for fertilization (Saccoglossus kowalevskii: hemichordata)

Association of spermatozoa with blastomeres removed from the egg envelope was studied in order to investigate sperm membrane behavior under circumstances unlike those attending fertilization of normal envelope-enclosed eggs. Under the altered circumstances all parts of the surface of the sperm cell were afforded the opportunity of meeting blastomere plasma membrane. Nevertheless, in each case the spermatozoon first became activated, an acrosomal tubule formed, and it was this organelle alone which fused and established continuity with the blastomere plasma membrane. This behavior of the spermatozoon with respect to the denuded blastomere parallels the behavior of the sperm cell with respect to the envelope-enclosed egg at fertilization. Since the sperm cell behaves so similarly in two situations which are so different with respect to what the spermatozoon encounters, this behavior is considered to reflect the inherent nature of the spermatozoon, and analysis of this behavior in relation to a blastomere is considered to be valid also in relation to an egg during fertilization. It is concluded that membrane fusion, involving the acrosomal tubule of an activated spermatozoon, is the only means by which gametic union is established and that these are obligatory rather than fortuitous features of sperm-egg association in Saccoglossus. It is suggested that these features are probably obligatory also in other species which exhibit this pattern of sperm-egg association.
Finite Amplitude Underwater Flexural Vibrations of Cantilevers

We study flexural vibrations of a thin rectangular cross section cantilever beam submerged in a quiescent viscous fluid. The cantilever is subject to base excitation and undergoes oscillations whose amplitude is comparable with its width. The structure is modeled as an Euler-Bernoulli beam and the fluid-structure interaction is captured through a nonlinear complex-valued hydrodynamic function which accounts for added mass and fluid damping. Results from a parametric 2D computational fluid dynamics analysis of an oscillating rigid lamina, representative of a generic beam cross section, are used to establish the dependence of the hydrodynamic function on the governing flow parameters. It is found that, as the frequency and amplitude of the vibration increase, vortex shedding and convection phenomena are enhanced, thus promoting nonlinear hydrodynamic damping. We derive a computationally efficient reduced order modal model for beam oscillations incorporating the non-linear hydrodynamic function and we validate theoretical results against experiments on underwater vibrations flexible beams.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Supporting Literacy Differentiation: The Principal’s Role in a Community of Practice

Differentiation is an important practice in today’s increasingly diverse classrooms. The researchers used collective case study methods to investigate the role of the principal in supporting differentiated literacy instruction in three purposively selected elementary schools with a documented history of literacy differentiation. For the fourth and fifth grade teachers (n = 15) and their principals (n = 3), differentiated literacy instruction was synonymous with guided reading. To facilitate this practice, principals protected the 60-minute literacy block from push-in or pull-out services and leveraged the expertise of district staff. The principals also supported guided reading by providing teachers with structured opportunities to collaborate, where teachers shared resources, narratives, and expertise. Additionally, the principals purchased texts beyond the district curriculum, strategically networked teachers, and evaluated teachers during their literacy block, when teachers were expected to differentia...
DNA Strand Exchange and RecA Homologs in Meiosis

Homology search and DNA strand-exchange reactions are central to homologous recombination in meiosis. During meiosis, these processes are regulated such that the probability of choosing a homolog chromatid as recombination partner is enhanced relative to that of choosing a sister chromatid. This regulatory process occurs as homologous chromosomes pair in preparation for assembly of the synaptonemal complex. Two strand-exchange proteins, Rad51 and Dmc1, cooperate in regulated homology search and strand exchange in most organisms. Here, we summarize studies on the properties of these two proteins and their accessory factors. In addition, we review current models for the assembly of meiotic strand-exchange complexes and the possible mechanisms through which the interhomolog bias of recombination partner choice is achieved.
Twinning in dairy cattle and its relation to production.

Summary In these data, twin births were 2.91% of the total births. The frequency of identical twins among like-sexed pairs was estimated to be 8.6- 1.1%. The average lifetime production of dams of twins was 19.3 ± 8.9 lb. of butterfat higher than the average production of all contemporary herd-mates. Because frequency of twinning increases with age of dam, this comparison is biased by early culling and selection. Cows removed from the herd after one or two records do not have as much chance to beeome dams of twins as those cows which are kept for many lactations. When dams of twins were compared with contemporary herd-mates which remained in the herd equally long, the difference was only 3.0 ± 5.6 lb. The butterfat production in the lactation following the birth of twins was 21.0 ± 11.0 lb. lmver than in tile lactation immediately preceding this birth. This we consider an estimate of the amount by which the production following the birth of twins is lowered by the physiological extra load, or strain, of producing twins.
Reaction of antibody in sera from cystic fibrosis patients with nontoxic forms ofPseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A

Sera from 48 cystic fibrosis patients from two hospitals were screened for antibody against rods, non-toxic macromolecular structures which share antigenic determinants withPseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A. A solid-phase radioimmunoassay employing (125I)-staphylococcal protein A was used to detect anti-rod IgG. Antibodies recognizing rods, exotoxin A, or both antigens, were demonstrated using a competitive radioimmunoassay in cystic fibrosis patient sera, and in sera from animals immunized with exotoxin A, rods, or infected withPseudomonas aeruginosa. Anti-rod titers of cystic fibrosis patients (1.07 to 14 x control serum levels) inversely correlated with aggregate clinical evaluation scores, and in most instances, with X-ray scores. Since rods are non-toxic and cross-reactive with exotoxin A, they may represent therapeutically useful antigens for producing immunity to exotoxin A.
Is glaucoma associated with motor vehicle collision involvement and driving avoidance

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between the diagnosis of glaucoma and motor vehicle collision (MVC) involvement and driving avoidance in drivers aged > or =50 years. METHODS: Two groups of patients, one with glaucoma and one without, were identified in three university-affiliated eye care practices. Demographic, clinical, and driving characteristics were obtained by chart abstractions and a patient survey. Information regarding MVC involvement was obtained from police records. RESULTS: Patients with glaucoma were less likely (relative risk [RR], 0.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.47-0.97) to be involved in collisions than patients without glaucoma. There was no difference between the at-fault crash rates of the patients with glaucoma and those without (RR, 1.22; 95% CI, 0.67-2.22). Patients with glaucoma had significantly higher levels of avoidance for driving at night (odds ratio [OR], 2.06; 95% CI, 1.11-3.82), driving in fog (OR, 3.80; 95% CI, 1.93-7.48), driving in the rain (OR, 2.99; 95% CI, 1.32-6.76), driving during rush hour (OR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.16-4.34), driving on the highway (OR, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.19-6.64), and high density driving (OR, 2.88; 95% CI, 1.28-6.46). These associations were adjusted for demographic and medical characteristics as well as visual acuity. CONCLUSIONS: Older persons with glaucoma drive at least as safely as, if not more safely than, older persons without glaucoma. Language: en
Spatial fluctuations of the sine-Gordon chain

Abstract The probability density functional for the spatial configurations of the sine-Gordon chain is derived.
Distribution of acid-soluble phosphates in the erythrocytes of selected species of amphibians

Abstract 1. 1. Enzymatic, colorimetric and/or ion-exchange Chromatographic analyses of amphibian erythrocytic organic phosphates (EOPs) were performed to: (1) explore interspecific diversity; (2) determine the intraspecific effects of temperature, photoperiod and body size; and (3) correlate interspecific EOP similarities with the behavioral and physiological capabilities. 2. 2. The types and concentrations of EOPs ranged from reptilian to mammalian in character, and responded weakly to temperature and photoperiod. 3. 3. Inositol polyphosphate was detected in five species, but never exceeded 5% of the total acid-soluble phosphate. 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate (DPG) was the major EOP in 18 species and was present in all species examined. DPG: hemoglobin (Hb) molar ratios ranged from 0.07 to 1.9. Nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) was the major EOP in 12 species. NTP: Hb molar ratios ranged from 0.32 to 1.8. 4. 4. Analysis of similarity among species based on body mass, [Hb], hematocrit, [NTP] and [DPG] revealed three clusters of amphibians. EOP: Hb molar ratios of 1.0 or larger in bufonids and Scaphiopus correlated with a high dependence on aerobic activity metabolism. EOP: Hb molar ratios less than one in ranids correlated with a dependence on anaerobic activity metabolism.
Parameterization-Aware MIP-Mapping

We present a method of generating mipmaps that takes into account the distortions due to the parameterization of a surface. Existing algorithms for generating mipmaps assume that the texture is isometrically mapped to the surface and ignore the actual surface parameterization. Our method correctly downsamples warped textures by assigning texels weights proportional to their area on a surface. We also provide a least-squares approach to filtering over these warped domains that takes into account the postfilter used by the GPU. Our method improves texture filtering for most models but only modifies mipmap generation, requires no modification of art assets or rasterization algorithms, and does not affect run-time performance. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Strategic acquisition of new manufacturing technology: a review and research framework

A framework for evaluating acquisition of new manufacturing technology is presented based on extensive reviews of various approaches available in the literature. The suggested evaluation procedure involves three hierarchical levels, namely, strategic evaluation, operational evaluation and financial evaluation. The need for quantifying intangible and complex strategic benefits, and comparing them with tangible financial benefits at the same level is eliminated. The paper describes a methodology for strategic evaluation, and suggests techniques that can be used for operational and financial evaluation. The framework identifies important research areas and provides guidelines to develop a better procedure for evaluating acquisition of new manufacturing technology.
Dynamics of initially entangled open quantum systems

Linear maps of matrices describing the evolution of density matrices for a quantum system initially entangled with another are identified and found to be not always completely positive. They can even map a positive matrix to a matrix that is not positive, unless we restrict the domain on which the map acts. Nevertheless, their form is similar to that of completely positive maps. Only some minus signs are inserted in the operator-sum representation. Each map is the difference of two completely positive maps. The maps are first obtained as maps of mean values and then as maps of basis matrices. These forms also prove to be useful. An example for two entangled qubits is worked out in detail. The relation to earlier work is discussed.
Time-delayed nonlinear absorption effects on spatiotemporal propagation for femtosecond pulses

We investigate the effects of time delayed nonlinear absorption (Raman effect) on spatiotemporal propagation for femtosecond pulses. In the case of normal dispersion and no Raman effect, we find symmetric pulse splitting, in agreement with previous work. However, as the magnitude of the Raman effect increases relative to the dispersion, asymmetric splitting occurs. For significant Raman effect, the pulse splitting due to GVD is suppressed.
Abundance and Distribution of Large Marine Gastropods in Nearshore Seagrass Beds Along the Gulf Coast of Florida

ABSTRACT Local abundance was estimated and distribution determined for selected large gastropod species based on observations made during underwater visual surveys at 10 sites along the Gulf coast of Florida each summer from 2009 through 2012. The total number of tulip snails (Fasciolaria spp., including the true tulip, Fasciolaria tulipa, and banded tulip, Fasciolaria lilium), lightning whelk (Busycon sinistrum), and horse conch (Triplofusus giganteus) were counted at 190 stations (each 600 m2) each year in shallow-water seagrass beds. Tulip snails were observed most frequently, with a mean density of 1.93 ± 3.56 snails/ 600 m2, with substantially fewer lightning whelks (0.29 ± 1.04/600 m2) and horse conchs (0.10 ± 0.37/600 m2) observed. Horse conchs were distributed more evenly across the 4 Gulf coast regions studied: Panhandle, Big Bend, Nature Coast, and South. Tulip snails were most abundant in the Panhandle and the South, whereas lightning whelks were found predominantly in the South. Snail counts p...
Synthesis, characterization, and fluorescence and cytotoxicity studies of a tetrarhenium molecular rectangle

Abstract An one-pot reaction of Re 2 (CO) 10 with 4,4′-bipyridyl (4,4′-bpy) in refluxed 1-pentanol afforded the molecular rectangle, [(CO) 3 Re(μ-OC 5 H 11 ) 2 Re(CO) 3 ] 2 {μ-(4,4′-bpy)} 2 ( I ), in almost quantitative yield. The molecular rectangle, I , has been characterized spectroscopically and by X-ray crystal structure determination. Compound I exhibits fluorescence and is cytotoxic against cancer cell lines.
Scripted and Non-Scripted Reading Instructional Models: Effects on the Phonics and Reading Achievement of First-Grade Struggling Readers

In this study, we examined 56 first-grade struggling readers' phonics and reading achievement in classrooms served by SRA Reading Mastery, a scripted model of early reading instruction against the achievement of 52 first-grade struggling readers in classrooms served by one of four other, non-scripted reading models. We also studied the instructional activities, texts used, how time was spent, and how closely instruction matched the intention of the models. Findings revealed no significant difference among the mean phonics scores after one year and among the mean reading scores after two years across models. Instructional patterns were mostly consistent in the scripted model and more eclectic, but with clear patterns, in the non-scripted models. Findings may have resulted from a lack of consistency between instruction and children's developmental levels as well as implementation differences across all models.
Intraperitoneal gemcitabine pharmacokinetics: a pilot and pharmacokinetic study in patients with advanced adenocarcinoma of the pancreas

The pyrimidine analogue gemcitabine (2′, 2′-difluorodeoxycitidine, dFdC) is active against pancreatic cancer, and its high clearance (CLtb) and low incidence of local toxicity make it an excellent candidate for evaluation as intraperitoneal (IP) therapy. We designed a dosing schema that used multiple sequential exchanges of a peritoneal dialysate containing dFdC in an effort to produce prolonged IP dFdC exposure. As part of a study involving multi-modality therapy for advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma, patients were treated with four 6-h IP dwells of dFdC (50 mg/m2 in 2 l) over a 24-h period. A second 24-h cycle of IP dFdC therapy was repeated 1 week later. Each exchange of dialysate contained 50 mg/m2 dFdC in 2 l of commercial 1.5% dextrose dialysis solution. Plasma and peritoneal fluid were analyzed by HPLC to determine concentrations of dFdC and its inactive metabolite 2′, 2′ difluorodeoxyuridine (dFdU). Clinical data were recorded to note drug toxicity and response. Nine patients underwent IP dFdC therapy, and eight were able to receive two cycles. There were no recorded significant toxicities. Low plasma dFdC concentrations (<1 μg/ml) were present transiently in seven of nine patients, and dFdC was not detectable in the plasma of the other two. Plasma dFdU concentrations were low but increased gradually until 12 h and then declined little if any. IP dFdC concentrations declined rapidly, and dFdC was seldom measurable prior to administration of the next scheduled 6-h dwell. dFdU concentrations in peritoneal fluid were very low (<0.5 μg/ml) throughout treatment. The mean area under the concentration versus time curve (AUC) for dFdC in peritoneal fluid was 182 μg/ml × h, which was approximately 70× the AUC of dFdC reported in the ascites of a patient undergoing systemic dFdC therapy. IP dFdC was well tolerated, and no significant toxicities were noted. The rapid decrease in peritoneal dFdC concentrations and low concentrations of IP dFdU imply almost total absorption of IP-administered dFdC. Little, if any, dFdC could be detected in plasma, but the steady-state plasma dFdU concentrations also imply absorption and inactivation of virtually all IP-administered dFdC. These findings are consistent with the known high CLtb and low incidence of local toxicity of dFdC and argue for its further evaluation as a drug for IP therapy.
Is the patient getting worse

Glaucoma care today is often simplified into all or nothing terms with the assumption that if the patient's intraocular pressure (IOP) is above a certain level, glaucomatous disease will progress and when the IOP is lowered to below a threshold, no further progression will occur. This dogma is largely the result of limitations in the resolution of tools currently available to judge progression. Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease and, as with all degenerative diseases, progression continues to occur, albeit at slower rates, with appropriate treatment. In the future, as our tools to assess structural and functional optic nerve change become more precise, we will no longer think of glaucoma as being stable or progressive but rather speak in terms of rates of progression. There was a time when primary open-angle glaucoma was considered a disease of increased intraocular pressure (IOP). If one's IOP was above the 95 th
Active interaction control of civil structures. Part 1: SDOF systems

This paper presents a family of semi-active control algorithms termed as active interaction control (AIC) used for seismic response control of civil structures. AIC control algorithms include active interface damping (AID), optimal connection strategy (OCS) and tuned interaction damping (TID). A typical SDOF AIC system consists of a primary structure, an auxiliary structure and an interaction element. The auxiliary structure typically has stiffness comparable to that of the primary structure while its natural frequency is much higher than that of the primary structure. Interactions between the primary and the auxiliary structures are defined by specific AIC control logic such that vibrational energy is extracted from the primary structure into the auxiliary structure during a locking phase and dissipated in the auxiliary structure in the subsequent unlocking phase. The stability of AIC control algorithms is shown using the Lyapunov direct method. The efficacy of AIC control algorithms is demonstrated by the results of numerical simulations of SDOF systems subjected to seismic ground motions. Practical issues such as sampling period and time delay are also investigated in this study. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Abnormalities in the shape of the duodenal loop on X-ray. Associated with idiopathic antral hypomotility?

We aimed to determine if abnormalities in the shape of the duodenal loop would be useful in identifying patients with gastroduodenal dysmotility. Retrospectively, 126 consecutive patients with suspected functional abdominal symptoms who underwent upper gastrointestinal barium x-ray studies and gastrointestinal manometry were independently evaluated. Twenty-seven patients (21%) had an abnormally shaped duodenal loop (two proximal and 25 distal) by x-ray. An abnormal duodenal loop was associated with female gender but the presenting symptoms were similar in patients with normal and abnormal loops. Antral hypomotility was significantly more common in patients with distal duodenal malrotations compared to those with a normal x-ray (56% vs 27%,P<0.01); intestinal dysmotility was not associated with the shape of the duodenal loop. The presence of an abnormally shaped duodenal loop in patients presenting with functional gastrointestinal symptoms may be a useful marker for idiopathic antral hypomotility.
Epidural analgesia improves outcome following pediatric fundoplication. A retrospective analysis.

Background and Objectives Nissen fundoplication is a common procedure in high-risk pediatric patients. This cohort study evaluated the influence of epidural versus intravenous opioid analgesia on the postoperative course of infants and children undergoing fundoplication. Methods A retrospective review was made of the perioperative courses of 155 consecutive patients, aged 1 month to 19 years, who underwent elective open fundoplication from January 1993 to October 1994. Of these 155 patients, 72 received perioperative analgesia with epidural opioids, while 83 received parenteral opioids. Outcome variables included major morbidity factors, recovery of bowel and bladder function, and economic impact. Results Patients in the epidural and parenteral groups did not differ with respect to age, weight, or associated preoperative medical diagnoses. The postoperative complication rate was significantly decreased in the epidural group (5.5% versus 20%) (P Conclusions These findings suggest that perioperative epidural analgesia, administered by a dedicated pain service, amy improve outcome in high-risk pediatric patients undergoing fundoplication.
Coverage-dependent spectral evolution in correlated systems: An exact diagonalization study of a generic overlayer model.

We examine the coverage dependence of the photoelectron spectra in a generic two-sublattice overlayer model constructed in the Hubbard formalism. Using numerical exact diagonalization techniques, photoemission and inverse photoemission spectra are calculated. The single-particle hopping integrals in the overlayer and between the substrate and the overlayer are adjusted to scale with the coverage. On-site and intersite interactions are introduced and varied to simulate various correlated electron systems. The caulculated spectra show different degrees of sensitivity to the change in the overlayer coverage. A systematic spectral evolution has been observed and presented in a many-body picture. General implications of the calculated results for realistic overlayer systems are discussed.
Modeling of nitrogen compounds in cometary atmospheres: Fluorescence models of ammonia (NH3), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), hydrogen isocyanide (HNC) and cyanoacetylene (HC3N)

We developed full cascade fluorescence models for NH3, HCN and HNC, and a new band model for the ν1 ro-vibrational band of HC3N. The models are based on ab-initio spectral databases containing millions of spectral lines and also include extremely precise spectral information contained in several high-resolution spectral databases. Using these new models we derive detailed cascade maps for these species, and obtain realistic fluorescence efficiencies applicable to high-resolution infrared spectra. The new models permit accurate synthesis of line-by-line spectra for a wide range of rotational temperatures. We validated the models by comparing simulated emissions of these nitrogen species with measured spectra of comet C/2007 W1 (Boattini) acquired with high-resolution infrared spectrometers at high altitude sites. The new models accurately describe the complex emission spectrum, providing distinct rotational temperatures and production rates at greatly improved accuracy compared with results derived from earlier fluorescence models. In addition, we made use of the completeness and scope of the new databases to investigate possible HCN↔HNC radiative isomerization mechanisms, obtaining estimates of conversion efficiencies under typical cometary conditions.
Styrenic polymer nanocomposites based on an oligomerically-modified clay with high inorganic content

Abstract Clay was modified with an oligomeric surfactant containing styrene and lauryl acrylate units along with a small amount of vinylbenzyl chloride to permit the formation of an ammonium salt so that this can be attached to a clay. The oligomerically-modified clay contains 50% inorganic clay, and styrenic polymer nanocomposites, including those of polystyrene (PS), high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) and acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS), were prepared by melt blending. The morphologies of the nanocomposites were evaluated by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Mixed intercalated/delaminated nanocomposites were formed for SAN and ABS while largely immiscible nanocomposites were formed for PS and HIPS. The thermal stability and fire properties were evaluated using thermogravimetric analysis and cone calorimetry, respectively. The plasticization from the oligomeric surfactant was suppressed and the tensile strength and Young's modulus were improved, compared to similar oligomerically-modified clays with higher organic content.
Temporal effects in simultaneous pure-tone masking in subjects with high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss.

Temporal effects in simultaneous pure-tone masking were studied in three subjects with a high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss. The masker level was generally 80 dB SPL, and the signal level was varied adaptively to threshold. Masker frequency was always 1.2 times the signal frequency, and three different frequency regions were studied: (1) signal and masker in region of normal hearing; (2) signal in region of normal hearing and masker in region of hearing loss; and (3) signal and masker in region of hearing loss. In the first experiment, the masker was either gated synchronously with the 20-ms signal or was presented continuously. The gated-continuous threshold difference was largest when both the masker and signal were in a region of normal hearing; that difference decreased, though was not eliminated, when either the masker or the signal-plus-masker was in a region of hearing loss. In the second experiment, threshold was measured for the 20-ms signal as a function of its temporal position within a ...
Harnessing the wisdom of crowds in wikipedia: quality through coordination

Wikipedia's success is often attributed to the large numbers of contributors who improve the accuracy, completeness and clarity of articles while reducing bias. However, because of the coordination needed to write an article collaboratively, adding contributors is costly. We examined how the number of editors in Wikipedia and the coordination methods they use affect article quality. We distinguish between explicit coordination, in which editors plan the article through communication, and implicit coordination, in which a subset of editors structure the work by doing the majority of it. Adding more editors to an article improved article quality only when they used appropriate coordination techniques and was harmful when they did not. Implicit coordination through concentrating the work was more helpful when many editors contributed, but explicit coordination through communication was not. Both types of coordination improved quality more when an article was in a formative stage. These results demonstrate the critical importance of coordination in effectively harnessing the "wisdom of the crowd" in online production environments.
Self-catalyzed linkage of poliovirus terminal protein VPg to poliovirus RNA

Abstract The poliovirus terminal protein, VPg, was covalently linked to poliovirus RNA in a reaction that required synthetic VPg, Mg 2+ , and a replication intermediate synthesized in vitro. The VPg linkage reaction did not require the viral polymerase, host factor, or ribonucleoside triphosphates and was specific for templatelinked minus-strand RNA synthesized on poliovirion RNA. The covalent nature of the bond between VPg and the RNA was demonstrated by the isolation of VPg-pUp from VPg-linked RNA. A model is proposed in which the tyrosine residue in VPg forms a phosphodiester bond with the 5′ UMP in minus-strand RNA in a self-catalyzed transesterification reaction. It appears that either the RNA, VPg, or a combination of both forms the catalytic center for this reaction.
Use and misuse of the reduced major axis for line-fitting

Many investigators use the reduced major axis (RMA) instead of ordinary least squares (OLS) to define a line of best fit for a bivariate relationship when the variable represented on the X-axis is measured with error. OLS frequently is described as requiring the assumption that X is measured without error while RMA incorporates an assumption that there is error in X. Although an RMA fit actually involves a very specific pattern of error variance, investigators have prioritized the presence versus the absence of error rather than the pattern of error in selecting between the two methods. Another difference between RMA and OLS is that RMA is symmetric, meaning that a single line defines the bivariate relationship, regardless of which variable is X and which is Y, while OLS is asymmetric, so that the slope and resulting interpretation of the data are changed when the variables assigned to X and Y are reversed. The concept of error is reviewed and expanded from previous discussions, and it is argued that the symmetry-asymmetry issue should be the criterion by which investigators choose between RMA and OLS. This is a biological question about the relationship between variables. It is determined by the investigator, not dictated by the pattern of error in the data. If X is measured with error but OLS should be used because the biological question is asymmetric, there are several methods available for adjusting the OLS slope to reflect the bias due to error. RMA is being used in many analyses for which OLS would be more appropriate.
Implementing assistive technology on wearable computers

What might seem perfectly intuitive to a young rehabilitation engineer designing assistive devices might not be intuitive at all to a disabled or elderly person experiencing a serious loss of function for the first time. When designers understand the complex nature of disabilities, they are more likely to meet the disabled users' needs. Using the results of his work in designing assistive technology, the author describes impaired people's needs and offers design strategies to accommodate them. He also presents his research to develop a wearable computer-based orientation and wayfinding aid for the severely visually impaired.
Is herpes simplex virus keratitis a different disease in children

Ocular infections resulting from herpes simplex viral infection can result in significant ocular morbidity. Crucial in preventing this complication is the need for appropriate diagnosis and initiation of treatment. In addition, most of the studies on herpes simplex viral infections involve adult populations. It is important to consider that children have a different progression of the disease process and may require an altered treatment regimen.
Neuropsychological heterogeneity in schizophrenia: a consideration of abstraction and problem-solving abilities

The study examines heterogeneity in abstraction and problem-solving abilities among schizophrenic patients through a cluster analysis of scores from the Halstead Category Test, the Tactual Performance Test, Part B of the Trail Making Test and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test obtained from 136 male schizophrenic inpatients. Extensive heterogeneity was noted among the five clusters extracted, marked by differences in both level and pattern of performance. Efforts were made to find associations between cluster membership and age, education, general intelligence, neurological comorbidity, and medication status. Such associations were noted in all cases, but the role of medication was viewed as equivocal. It was concluded that (i) there is extensive heterogeneity in both pattern and level of performance of schizophrenics on tests of abstraction and problem solving; and (ii) Some, but not all of this heterogeneity is associated with variations in age, education, general intelligence, and neurological comorbidity.