cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis and processing of compact text

This paper describes the characteristics of compact text as revealed in computer analysis of a set of physician notes. Computer processing of the documents was performed using the LSP system for natural language analysis. A numerical breakdown of syntactic and semantic patterns found in the texts is presented. It is found that four major properties of compact text make it possible to process the content of the documents with syntactic procedures that operate on full free text.
Case management in the context of capitation financing: an evaluation of the strengths model.

The results of the present evaluation strongly support the essential need for formal case management in providing community support for individuals with serious mental illness. When compared to a control condition in which consumers received CMHC-wide support from therapists, day treatment personnel, and residential staff, the Strengths case management program was considerably more effective in achieving three specific community support goals: increasing consumer personal incomes, providing needed social support, and maintaining consumer physical health. Surprisingly, the case management program was also found to be effective in achieving a goal that is usually not targeted by case management: consumers in the case management group improved in therapist-assessed psychiatric symptomatology more than control group consumers. Since the control and the case management groups had comparable increases in attendance at primary therapy and medication management over the study period, we conclude that the case management program was directly responsible for the improvements in psychiatric symptoms within its caseload. Whether these improvements in mood and cognitive processing are attributable to co-occuring improvements in quality of life variables (i.e., social support or personal income) or whether psychiatric improvement is more directly attributable to case managerin vivo counseling must be decided by future research.
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) genotypes response to multiple abiotic stresses

The carbon dioxide concentration [CO(2)], temperature and ultraviolet B radiation (UVB) are concomitant factors projected to change in the future environment, and their possible interactions are of significant interest to agriculture. The objectives of this study were to evaluate interactive effects of atmospheric [CO(2)], temperature, and UVB radiation on growth, physiology and reproduction of cowpea genotypes and to identify genotypic tolerance to multiple stressors. Six cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.) genotypes differing in their sites of origin were grown in sunlit, controlled environment chambers. The treatments consisted of two levels each of atmospheric [CO(2)] (360 and 720 micromol mol(-1)), UVB [0 and 10 kJ m(-2)d(-1)) and temperatures [30/22 and 38/30 degrees C] from 8 days after emergence to maturity. The ameliorative effects of elevated [CO(2)] on increased UVB radiation and temperature effects were observed for most of the vegetative and photosynthetic traits but not for pollen production, pollen viability and yield attributes. The combined stress response index (C-TSRI) derived from vegetative (V-TSRI) and reproductive (R-TSRI) parameters revealed that the genotypes responded negatively with varying magnitude of responses to the stressors. Additionally, in response to multiple abiotic stresses, the vegetative traits diverged from that of reproductive traits, as deduced from the positive V-TSRI and negative R-TSRI observed in most of the genotypes and poor correlation between these two processes. The UVB in combination with increased temperature caused the greatest damage to cowpea vegetative growth and reproductive potential. The damaging effects of high temperature on seed yield was not ameliorated by elevated [CO(2)]. The identified tolerant genotypes and groups of plant attributes could be used to develop genotypes with multiple abiotic stress tolerance.
Hypercholesterolemia and prostate cancer: a hospital-based case-control study.

High levels of serum cholesterol have been proposed to increase the risk of prostate cancer but the epidemiologic evidence is limited. We conducted a hospital-based case–control study in Fargo, ND, USA, to examine the association between hypercholesterolemia and prostate cancer. Cases were men with incident, histologically confirmed prostate cancer. Controls were men without clinical cancer who were seen at the same hospital for an annual physical exam. Demographic and clinical data were abstracted from patients’ medical charts. From a patient population aged 50 to 74 years old, we obtained data on 312 White cases and 319 White controls. Hypercholesterolemia was defined as total cholesterol greater than 5.17 (mmol/l). Univariate logistic regression showed a significant association between hypercholesterolemia and prostate cancer (odds ratio (OR) = 1.64, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.19–2.27). This association changed only slightly after adjustment for age, family history of prostate cancer, body mass index, type 2 diabetes, smoking, and multivitamin use (OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.11–2.24). A significant association was found between low HDL and prostate cancer (OR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.04–2.36). High LDL was associated with a 60% increased risk for prostate cancer (OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.09–2.34). Compared to never smokers, current smokers had an 84% increased risk for prostate cancer (OR = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.09–3.13). This study adds to recent evidence that hypercholesterolemia may increase the risk of prostate cancer in white men.
Using Logistic Approximations of Marginal Trace Lines to Develop Short Assessments

Test developers often need to create unidimensional scales from multidimensional data. For item analysis, marginal trace lines capture the relation with the general dimension while accounting for n...
25-Year Experience with Replacement of the Human Bladder (Camey Procedure)

The Camey enterocystoplasty is a technique for constructing a functional, continent bladder in male patients following cystoprostatectomy for carcinoma. The technique is described and 84 patients treated during a 25-year interval are reviewed.
Inelastic constitutive relations for solids: An internal-variable theory and its application to metal plasticity

Abstract This paper is a study of the theoretical foundations of constitutive relations at finite strain for a class of solids exhibiting inelasticity as a consequence of specific structural rearrangements, on the microscale, of constituent elements of material. Metals deforming plastically through dislocation motion are of this class and form the primary application of the theory. The development is in terms of a general internal-variable thermodynamic formalism for description of the microstructural rearrangements, and it is shown how metal plasticity may be so characterized. The principal result is in the normality structure which is shown to arise in macroscopic constitutive laws when each of the local microstructural rearrangements proceeds at a rate governed by its associated thermodynamic force. This provides a theoretical framework for time-dependent inelastic behavior in terms of a “flow potential”, and reduces to statements on normality of strain increments to yield surfaces in the time-independent case. Conventional characterizations of the stress-state dependence of metallic slip are noted to be in accord with this concept of associated forces governing rates, so that the resulting normality structure may be considered directly applicable to metal plasticity.
Unified calibration method for nondestructive dielectric sensing of moisture content in granular materials

Dielectric methods are commonly used for the nondestructive continuous sensing of moisture content in granular materials. However, an individual calibration equation is required for each particular material. The authors present a unified calibration method for moisture content determination that provides reliable information regardless of the grain type.
A Survey of Parasitoids of Brown Citrus Aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae) in Puerto Rico

Abstract The brown citrus aphidToxoptera citricida(Kirkaldy) (Homoptera: Aphididae) is a pest of citrus and an efficient vector of citrus tristeza virus. Reproducing populations of this aphid were first detected in Puerto Rico in April 1992. In 1994, we surveyed citrus in Puerto Rico for the aphid and its parasitoids. The brown citrus aphid was the most abundant aphid on citrus and its populations were statistically higher in April than in July and December. Aphid populations in commercial and dooryard citrus were significantly higher than those in nurseries (P
Using maths to tackle cancer

Music, what's the point? Steven Pinker has called it useless, with no adaptive value. Oliver Sacks and Daniel Levitin beg to differ. In their respective books Musicophilia and This is Your Brain on Music, they cite courtship and cognitive development among its purposes. Laura Garwin, once Nature's North American editor but now to be found in the concert hall, reviews both books. And with Laura's roots in the physical sciences, it is Galileo's way with a tune that seems to impress most. Other topics covered in the Autumn Books package include the nature of the scientific process, how mathematicians think, toxicity, and lab-lit.
TGF-β singaling and cancer: structural and functional consequences of mutations in Smads

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and related cytokines control the development and homeostasis of many tissues by regulating the expression of genes that determine cell phenotype. Recent progress has elucidated the way in which members of the TGF-beta family initiate their signal through transmembrane receptors and transmit it to target genes via the Smad family of signal-transducing proteins. This review describes TGF-beta signaling pathways as currently understood and mutations of the genes that encode Smads that disrupt the function of these proteins and cause various forms of cancer.
Dynamic height: A key variable for identifying the spawning habitat of small pelagic fishes

Small pelagic fishes off southern California exhibit interannual variations in the regions they occupy. An enhanced understanding of these fluctuations could improve fisheries management and predictions of fish’s responses to climate change. We investigated dynamic height as a variable for identifying the spawning habitat of northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax), Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax), and jack mackerel (Trachurus symmetricus). During cruises between 1998 and 2004, dynamic height was calculated from temperature and salinity profiles, while fish egg concentration was measured with obliquely towed bongo nets and the Continuous, Underway Fish Egg Sampler. Dynamic height ranged between 68 and 108 cm, with values increasing offshore. The greatest probability of encountering anchovy, sardine, and jack mackerel eggs occurred at dynamic heights of 79–83 cm, 84–89 cm, and 89–99 cm, respectively. Four mechanisms were proposed to explain how dynamic height affects egg distribution: (1) dynamic height is a proxy for upper water column temperature and salinity, which are known to influence spawning habitat. (2) Low dynamic heights are indicative of coastal upwelling, which increases primary and secondary productivity. (3) Egg concentration is greater at dynamic heights coincident with geostrophic currents that transport larvae to favorable habitats. (4) Eddies delineated by dynamic height contours retain eggs in productive habitats. To evaluate these mechanisms, a generalized linear model was constructed using dynamic height, temperature, salinity, chlorophyll, zooplankton volume, geostrophic currents, and eddies as independent variables. Dynamic height explained more variance than any other variable in models of sardine and anchovy spawning habitat. Together temperature, salinity, and chlorophyll accounted for 80–95% of the dynamic height effect, emphasizing the importance of the first two mechanisms. However, dynamic height remained statistically significant in the models of anchovy and jack mackerel spawning habitat after considering the effects of all other variables. Dynamic height shows promise as an ecological indicator of spawning habitat, because it integrates the effects of multiple oceanic variables, can be remotely sensed, and is predicted by ocean circulation models.
Effect of oral versus transdermal steroidal contraceptives on androgenic markers

Objective The purpose of this study was to compare biochemical androgen profiles in women treated with the contraceptive patch versus an oral contraceptive (OC). Study design Twenty-four healthy women were randomly assigned to receive 3 cycles of either the contraceptive patch (ethinyl estradiol [EE] 20 μg/d and norelgestromin 150 μg/d) or OC (EE 35 μg and norgestimate 250 μg). Blood samples were taken at baseline and end of treatment. Serum levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), total testosterone (T), androstenedione (A), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and 3α-androstanediol glucuronide (3α-diol G) were quantified by immunoassay methods; free T was calculated. The paired t and Student t tests were used for statistical analysis. Results Nineteen women completed the study (patch, n=10; OC, n=9). Despite a 1.6-fold relative increase in SHBG levels with the patch versus OC (449% vs 274%, P =.03), free T decreased equally in both groups (patch 60%, P P P P P P Conclusion The contraceptive patch had an effect comparable to the OC on several key androgenic markers. Given these biochemical findings, the contraceptive patch has significant potential as a therapeutic agent for disorders of androgen excess.
Efficacy of routine fiberoptic endoscope cleaning and disinfection for killing Clostridium difficile.

We have evaluated a standard procedure for cleaning and disinfection of endoscopes for efficacy in eradicating a spore-forming bacterial organism, Clostridium difficile. Initially, 23 endoscopes were cultured for the presence of C. difficile after hanging in storage for at least 24hours after cleaning and disinfection. All cultures were negative. Subsequently, endoscopes used in 15 patients who had stool cultures positive for C. difficile were cultured immediately after use and again after cleaning and disinfection with 2% alkaline glutaraldehyde for 5min. Ten of 15 (67%) endoscopes were culture positive for C. difficile immediately after use. After cleaning and disinfection, all of the endoscopes were culture negative except one, which yielded two negative cultures and two cultures showing late growth of rare C. difficile colonies, but contamination could not be ruled out. In vitro exposure to 2% alkaline glutaraldehyde for 5min resulted in 99% or greater killing of C. difficile spores. We conclude that cleaning and a minimum of 5min of disinfection with 2% alkaline glutaraldehyde are likely to be effective in killing C. difficile vegetative organisms and spores on endoscopes.
Z-Scan: A Simple And Sensitive Technique For Nonlinear Refraction Measurements

We describe a sensitive technique for measuring nonlinear refraction in a variety of materials that offers simplicity, sensitivity and speed. The transmittance of a sample is measured through a finite aperture in the far-field as the sample is moved along the propagation path (z) of a focused Gaussian beam. The sign and magnitude of the nonlinearity is easily deduced from such a transmittance curve (Z-scan). Employing this technique a sensitivity of better than λ/300 wavefront distortion is achieved in n2 measurements of BaF2 using picosecond frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser pulses.
Differential performance of hippocampally ablated rats on nondiscriminated and discriminated DRL schedules.

Two experiments compared the performance of hippocampectomized, neodecorticated, and normal rats on DRL 10, 20, or 30 sec schedules of reinforcement either by using conventional schedules or by modifying the schedule with a visual cue which signaled the end of the required interresponse time (IRT). Rats with hippocampal ablations showed typical decrements in performance under the undiscriminated conditions, but the magnitude of the deficit relative to controls did not increase with longer IRT's. Although initial differences were found between hippocampectomized S s and controls on the discriminated schedules in Expt 2, the terminal performance of the groups was similar; the rate of achieving asymptotic levels varied inversely with schedule length. These findings are (a) inconsistent with a response-inhibition hypothesis of hippocampal functioning, and (b) suggest that the behavioral impairment of hippocampally ablated S s reflects a deficit in the processing of information from response-produced stimuli.
Treatment of Breast Cancer in Medically Underserved Women: A Review

Women at risk of being undertreated for breast cancer include women who are older, from minority groups, from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and those without health insurance or insured by Medicaid. Recent reviews of the cancer care experience of medically underserved populations indicate that breast cancer care may be even less optimal for these populations than the majority of women. These are the same women who may experience difficulty obtaining access to medical care once they are diagnosed with breast cancer. Indirect proof of problems with access is manifested as higher recurrence rates of breast cancer and differences in breast cancer-specific survival among medically underserved women. Multiple factors have been shown to affect access to medical care, and therefore quality of care, including patient-level factors, provider-level factors, and health system factors. This article reviews the current state of these factors in explaining breast cancer care in medically underserved women.
Nuclear cystometrogram-determined bladder pressure at onset of vesicoureteral reflux predicts spontaneous resolution.

OBJECTIVES The bladder pressure at the onset of reflux may reflect the competence of the ureterovesical junction. The predictive value of the bladder pressure at the onset of vesicoureteral reflux, as measured by nuclear cystometrography, was assessed relative to subsequent reflux resolution. METHODS Nuclear cystometrograms of 67 children were reviewed to determine the presence of reflux, bladder pressure at the onset of reflux, and bladder volume at the onset of reflux. The data were analyzed for significant relationships between the nuclear cystometrogram results and patient outcomes using a Cox proportional hazards regression model, controlling for the duration of follow-up and for patients with bilateral reflux. RESULTS Data were gathered for reflux occurring in 85 ureters. As expected, reflux of a greater grade was less likely to resolve spontaneously (P = 0.005). The pressure at the onset of reflux was also highly predictive of spontaneous resolution (P = 0.0005). Reflux occurring at greater pressures was more likely to resolve spontaneously, independent of the reflux grade or bladder volume at the onset of reflux. Patient age (P = 0.45), normalized volume of urine refluxed (P = 0.97), and normalized bladder volume at the onset of reflux (P = 0.18) were not significant predictors of reflux resolution. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this report have demonstrated for the first time, to our knowledge, that the bladder pressure at the onset of vesicoureteral reflux, as determined by nuclear cystometrography, is a significant independent predictor of vesicoureteral reflux resolution in children.
Procedural sedation terminology: moving beyond "conscious sedation".

Abstract [Green SM, Krauss B. Procedural sedation terminology: moving beyond "conscious sedation." Ann Emerg Med. April 2002;39:433-435.]
Human platelet ribonuclease.

Abstract Human platelets contain an RNase which has a pH optimum at 5.0. It hydrolyzes the secondary phosphate esters of uridine 3′-phosphates. It slowly converts uridine 2′:3′-and cytidine 2′:3′-cyclic phosphates to their corresponding nucleoside 3′-phosphates. Poly (A), poly (G) and poly (C) are not only refractory to the action of this enzyme, but also inhibit its action on poly (U). It differs from human granulocyte RNase, human serum RNase and bovine pancreatic RNase. Because of its unique property, this enzyme could serve as a biochemical marker in disorders involving the platelet destruction.
Huck and Tom in School: Conflicting Freedoms and Values

(1989). Huck and Tom in School: Conflicting Freedoms and Values. Free Speech Yearbook: Vol. 27, No. 1, pp. 48-54.
Integrating skills training and motivational therapies: Implications for the treatment of substance dependence.

Two well-articulated models of substance abuse treatment, skills training and motivational enhancement, have received considerable research attention in recent years. Skills training treatments operate on the underlying rationale of correcting skills deficits, whereas motivational strategies are based on affecting clients' willingness to use skills they already possess. Skills training and motivational enhancement are typically described as distinct treatments and have recently been constructed as different treatments within a large multisite trial in the United States (Project MATCH). This article explores how treatments for substance abuse can draw from and integrate skills training and motivational strategies. Recovery from addictive patterns of behavior often requires learning over time and typically involves slips, relapses, and multiple quit attempts. Therapeutic support for change in addictive behavior, in particular attempting to prevent and minimize relapse, requires assessment and support of both why one might pursue change (motivation) and how one can best be successful (skills).
In the company of other words: Electrophysiological evidence for single-word and sentence context effects

Abstract The qualitative and quantitative similarities between lexical and sentence-level context effects were assessed by means of scalp-recorded electrophysiological measures. Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded to the second of a pair of words in a delayed letter search task and to the final words of a series of sentences presented one word at a time, and read for meaning and subsequent recognition. The critical words in both context conditions varied in the degree to which they were semantically or associatively related to the preceding context. In both cases, the ERPs to the critical words were associated with N400 components whose amplitude varied with expectancy and association. Neither the latency nor scalp distribution of the early phase of these two N400 effects differed as a function of context; the effects differed only in amplitude, with the word-level effect being smaller. Thus, as indexed by the N400 effect, there appears to be a remarkable qualitative similarity between the...
Minor H, rather than MHC, alloantigens offer the greater barrier to successful orthotopic corneal transplantation in mice

Abstract Irrespective of HLA matching, a far higher proportion of human corneal allografts placed orthotopically in avascular corneal graft beds are accepted indefinitely, compared to other types of solid tissue allografts. However, many more corneal grafts are rejected if they are transplanted onto neovascularized recipient eyes. Using a murine model of orthtopic corneal transplantation in which grafts were placed in normal eyes, we have reported previously that grafts bearing minor H antigens alone are more likely to be rejected (approximately 50%) than are grafted displaying only MHC alloantigens (
Simulation of nanoporous carbons: a chemically constrained structure

Abstract Nanoporous carbons (NPCs) are useful in adsorptive separations and catalysis, owing to their ability to discriminate between molecules on the basis of size and shape. This property arises from their narrow pore size distribution, which is typically centred at a size corresponding to 0.5 nm. Despite this level of nanoregularity. there is no long-range order within these materials. Structural coherence dissipates to extinction at distances longer than 1–1.2 nm. For this reason, these nanoporous materials are complex solids and offer an intriguing problem in structural simulation and modelling. We show that modelling the spatial complexity of NPCs can be overcome by their chemical simplicity. Recognizing that the structures are comprised of trigonal sp2 carbon and imposing chemical and physical constraints on the possible outcomes of the simulation provide a means to surmounting the modelling problem presented by the intrinsic disorder. By this approach, models of the solid can be arrived at that ma...
Design of the INHIBIT trial: preventing inhibitors by avoiding 'danger', prolonging half-life and promoting tolerance.

Inhibitor formation is among the most serious complications of hemophilia treatment. With the US FDA licensure of the novel long-lasting recombinant factor VIII (FVIII) Fc fusion protein, Eloctate, which prolongs FVIII half-life, we propose an innovative approach to prevent inhibitor formation. In this paper, we describe a multicenter, Phase II, single-arm, 48-week trial, the INHIBIT trial, to determine if Eloctate, begun before a bleed and continued as once weekly prophylaxis, will reduce inhibitor formation in children with hemophilia A. We hypothesize that avoiding ‘danger,’ that is, immune activation by a bleed at first factor exposure and prolonging FVIII half-life will prevent inhibitors and promote FVIII-specific T-cell tolerance. If successful, this approach will suggest a new paradigm in clinical practice.
Rapid analysis of Lewisite metabolites in urine by high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

A high-throughput method has been developed for determining Lewisite [dichloro(2-chlorovinyl)arsine] exposure by measuring the urine metabolite 2-chlorovinylarsonous acid (CVAA) and the oxidized metabolite 2-chlorovinylarsonic acid (CVAOA). The rapid sample preparation included a simple dilution of 400 microL of urine with 40 microL of water and 1 mL of buffer containing an internal standard and brief centrifugation prior to analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). CVAOA and CVAA were eluted isocratically with retention factors of approximately 3.0 and 4.2, respectively, from a reversed-phase polar embedded column with a cycle time of 5 min per sample. The dynamic reaction cell, typically used to remove polyatomic isobaric interferences, was not required for ICP-MS analysis because of the resolution of chloride from arsenical peaks of interest. This method was used to detect CVAA and CVAOA in the urine of a rat administered Lewisite up to 24 h after exposure. The method demonstrated linearity over at least three orders of magnitude and had a method detection limit of 1.3 microg/L as CVAA (1.4 microg/L CVAOA). The relative standard deviations for quality control samples ranged from 3 to 6%. The method was sensitive and selective with no false positives in 100 different urine samples collected from individuals with no known exposure to Lewisite. Ninety-six samples could be analyzed in an 8-h day.
Tissue engineering: harvesting pericardial cells from human pericardium

Tissue engineering challenges include fabricating biocompatible implants from materials that are readily available. In addition to creating functional implants, they should be durable and tissue compatible. To help prevent rejection, autologous cells would be preferred, although they are not always available commercially. During heart surgery, portions of the pericardium are frequently excised and discarded. Therefore, this excised tissue could be a potential source for primary cells. This project investigated harvesting pericardial cells from human pericardium for soft tissue applications.
Work in progress: use of forms in supporting student projects

This paper describes use of forms as mechanisms supporting student's work on organizing projects in a capstone software engineering (SE) course unique features of the approach are: a) use of project meta-model to present concepts involved as they relate to each other, b) related collection of form used to prepare decisions and c) criteria.
Intracellular Signaling Molecules Activated by Epstein-Barr Virus for Induction of Interferon Regulatory Factor 7

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latent membrane protein 1 (LMP-1) is the principal oncogenic protein in the EBV transformation process. LMP-1 induces the expression of interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF-7) and activates IRF-7 protein by phosphorylation and nuclear translocation. LMP-1 is an integral membrane protein with two regions in its C terminus that initiate signaling processes, the C-terminal activator regions 1 (CTAR-1) and CTAR-2. Here, genetic analysis of LMP-1 has determined that the PXQXT motif that governs the interaction between LMP-1 CTAR-1 and tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factors (TRAFs) is needed to induce the expression of IRF-7. Mutations in the PXQXT motif in CTAR-1 that disrupt the interaction between LMP-1 and TRAFs abolished the induction of IRF-7. Also, dominant-negative mutants of TRAFs inhibited the induction of IRF-7 by CTAR-1. The last three amino acids (YYD) of CTAR-2 are also important for the induction of IRF-7. When both PXQXT and YYD were mutated (LMP-DM), the LMP-1 mutant failed to induce IRF-7. Also, LMP-DM blocked the induction of IRF-7 by wild-type LMP-1. These data strongly suggest that both CTAR-1 and CTAR-2 of LMP-1 independently induce the expression of IRF-7. In addition, NF-κB is involved in the induction of IRF-7. A superrepressor of IκB (sr-IκB) could block the induction of IRF-7 by LMP-1, and overexpression of NF-κB (p65 plus p50) could induce the expression of IRF-7. In addition, we have found that human IRF-7 is a stable protein, and sodium butyrate, a modifier of chromatin structure, induces IRF-7.
Mobilization of pro-inflammatory lipids in obese Plscr3-deficient mice

Background The obesity epidemic has prompted the search for candidate genes capable of influencing adipose function. One such candidate, that encoding phospholipid scramblase 3 (PLSCR3), was recently identified, as genetic deletion of it led to lipid accumulation in abdominal fat pads and changes characteristic of metabolic syndrome. Because adipose tissue is increasingly recognized as an endocrine organ, capable of releasing small molecules that modulate disparate physiological processes, we examined the plasma from wild-type, Plscr1-/-, Plscr3-/- and Plscr1&3-/- mice. Using an untargeted comprehensive metabolite profiling approach coupled with targeted gene expression analyses, the perturbed biochemistry and functional redundancy of PLSCR proteins was assessed.
Advances in benchmarking to improve water utility operations: a review of six IWA books

Six recent publications by the International Water Association underscore the growing importance of quantitative studies of water utilities for identifying (1) performance patterns, (2) trends in key indicators, and (3) best practice. Since each author takes a different cut through the problem of performance measurement and incentives for improvement, the books provide different perspectives on the decision-relevance of empirical analysis and cases for managers and policy-makers. Key lessons from the volumes include the use of benchmarking as a tool for establishing better internal incentives, the importance of data collection and auditing, and the role of transparency in helping stakeholders become more informed about utility operations. Analysts need to help stakeholders understand sector complexities, where hydrology, topology, historical developments outside current management’s control, population income levels, and the amount of skilled labor differ widely across and even within nations. The six books taken together underscore the value of quantifying relative performance and improving our awareness of production processes and the institutional arrangements that support strong water sector performance.
Vaccination of older adults against herpes zoster is safe and effective

Commentary on: Gagliardi AM, Gomes Silva BN, Torloni MR, et al. Vaccines for preventing herpes zoster in older adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012; 10 :CD008858. The problem addressed by this study is that older individuals, for example, those over 60 years of age, are more likely to develop herpes zoster (HZ) than younger people. Older adults are far more likely to develop severe complications of HZ, especially postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Gagliardi and colleagues reviewed eight randomised controlled trials (RCTs) involving 52 269 participants. By focusing on RCTs and assessing the risk of bias in these studies, the authors concluded that vaccination against HZ is safe and effective. The risk of HZ was less compared to placebo: risk ratio (RR) 0.49 (95% CI 0.43 to 0.56), with a …
Biomimicry in textiles: past, present and potential. An overview

The natural world around us provides excellent examples of functional systems built with a handful of materials. Throughout the millennia, nature has evolved to adapt and develop highly sophisticated methods to solve problems. There are numerous examples of functional surfaces, fibrous structures, structural colours, self-healing, thermal insulation, etc., which offer important lessons for the textile products of the future. This paper provides a general overview of the potential of bioinspired textile structures by highlighting a few specific examples of pertinent, inherently sustainable biological systems. Biomimetic research is a rapidly growing field and its true potential in the development of new and sustainable textiles can only be realized through interdisciplinary research rooted in a holistic understanding of nature.
The memory fragmentation problem: solved?

We show that for 8 real and varied C and C++ programs, several conventional dynamic storage allocators provide near-zero fragmentation, once we account for overheads due to implementation details such as headers, alignment, etc. This substantially strengthens our previous results showing that the memory fragmentation problem has generally been misunderstood, and that good allocator policies can provide good memory usage for most programs. The new results indicate that for most programs, excellent allocator policies are readily available, and efficiency of implementation is the major challenge. While we believe that our experimental results are state-of-the-art and our methodology is superior to most previous work, more work should be done to identify and study unusual problematic program behaviors not represented in our sample.
Utilization Strategies for Cumulative Dose Estimates: A Review and Rational Assessment

Over the past several years, the cancer risks associated with radiation from diagnostic imaging have received increased attention in both the medical literature and the lay press. In the midst of this heightened scrutiny, there has been growing support for the idea of tracking cumulative dose estimates that longitudinally document the accumulated medical radiation exposure of each individual patient. The authors review the current consensus model of radiation-induced carcinogenesis and use this framework to provide a rational assessment of several potential cumulative dose estimate utilization strategies.
Recalling Attitudes: An Analysis of Retrospective Questions on the 1982 GSS

the social sciences. These include oral histories, life histories, patient histories and studies of fertility and contraception, child development, the attainment process, voting and partisan affiliation, medical care, consumer purchases and finances, readership, and public opinion. Respondents are asked to recall attributes, events, behaviors, and attitudes from the immediate to distant past. Both experimental work in cognitive psychology on memory and reliability checks on actual retrospective survey data find notable error from forgetting and memory distortion. Three general errors are common: (1) forgetting-a failure to report a given fact; (2) time displacement-associating events and behaviors with the wrong period, usually telescoping events; and (3) distortion-the changing of facts usually to fit into a more consistent or standard pattern. Errors occur most frequently about the details of events, unimportant events and about repetitive events which are easily confused. Most studies of the reliability of retrospective surveys have focused on a relatively short period (several days to about a year) and demographics attributes (e.g., residence, employment, marital history) or behaviors (medical care, use of alcohol, voting). Improvements in
AN AUTOMATIC MONITORING SYSTEM FOR STACK PARTICULATES.

Abstract This study is concerned with development of an automatic weight concentration analyzer. The physical properties, resistance, efficiency and life of layers of solid and hollow glass spheres, ranging in size from approximately 30 to 500μ are assessed. Sized layers of hollow spheres provide a known surface area of low tare for collection; they can be weighed directly and also transported pneumatically. The angle of slide and both horizontal and vertical transport velocities were measured to obtain design factors for a suitable conveying system. Analytical methods utilizing the spherical collectors which were evaluated include: weight deposit, chemical analysis, selective gamma ray absorption and quantitative disruption of tuned coil fields.
Effect of selected dyes on the growth of duckweed

Abstract Lemna Obscura (Austin) Daubs was used as a bioassay organism to test the effect of methylene blue and four fluorescein‐derivatives (substituted xanthenyl benzoates: rose bengal, eosin Y, erythrosin, and fluorescein) for their effect as sensitizers in the production of singlet oxygen. Growth was measured as the area of mono‐layer plant growth, which had been related to the plant fresh weight. The effect of the dye (μM) was evaluated under low light levels in the laboratory as differences in the change in mono‐layer area for test in comparison with untreated plants. The relative growth fraction (fraction of area covered after one week divided by the fraction of area covered initially) was a linear function of the known quantum yield for dye‐sensitized singlet oxygen production for three fluorescein dyes and methylene blue (r = 0.97; ρ = 0.001). Erythrosin was less effective than expected and did not conform to the correlation.
Influence DiagramsHistorical and Personal Perspectives

The usefulness of graphical models in reasoning and decision making stems from facilitating four main computational features: (1) modular representation of probabilities, (2) systematic construction methods, (3) explicit encoding of independencies, and (4) efficient inference procedures. This note explains why the original introduction of influence diagrams, lacking formal underpinning of these features, has had only mild influence on automated reasoning research, and how Bayesian belief networks, which were formulated and defined directly by these features, became the focus of graphical modeling research.
Nectar bacteria, but not yeast, weaken a plant–pollinator mutualism

Mutualistic interactions are often subject to exploitation by species that are not directly involved in the mutualism. Understanding which organisms act as such ‘third-party’ species and how they d...
Occlusio Supra Occlusionem: Intracranial Occlusions Following Carotid Thrombosis as Diagnosed by Cerebral Angiography

Collateral circulation between internal and external carotid arteries was sufficient to thoroughly opacify the middle cerebral artery on cerebral angiography in 11 of 100 patients with internal carotid occlusion. In four of the 11, the branches of the middle cerebral were intact. In two of the four, the carotid occlusion was an incidental finding; one patient presented with transient ischemic attacks and one had a stroke of the border zone variety. The remaining seven patients all had clinical strokes and showed occlusion of one or more branches of the middle cerebral artery. The stroke appeared to be the result of the intracranial occlusion rather than that of the internal carotid.
Persistence of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli in the Face of Multiple Antibiotics

Numerous antibiotics have proven to be effective at ameliorating the clinical symptoms of urinary tract infections (UTIs), but recurrent and chronic infections continue to plague many individuals. Most UTIs are caused by strains of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), which can form both extra- and intracellular biofilm-like communities within the bladder. UPEC also persist inside host urothelial cells in a more quiescent state, sequestered within late endosomal compartments. Here, we tested a panel of 17 different antibiotics, representing seven distinct functional classes, for their effects on the survival of the reference UPEC isolate UTI89 within both biofilms and host bladder urothelial cells. All but one of the tested antibiotics prevented UTI89 growth in broth culture, and most were at least modestly effective against bacteria present within in vitro-grown biofilms. In contrast, only a few of the antibiotics, including nitrofurantoin and the fluoroquinolones ciprofloxacin and sparfloxacin, were able to eliminate intracellular bacteria in bladder cell culture-based assays. However, in a mouse UTI model system in which these antibiotics reached concentrations in the urine specimens that far exceeded minimal inhibitory doses, UPEC reservoirs in bladder tissues were not effectively eradicated. We conclude that the persistence of UPEC within the bladder, regardless of antibiotic treatments, is likely facilitated by a combination of biofilm formation, entry of UPEC into a quiescent or semiquiescent state within host cells, and the stalwart permeability barrier function associated with the bladder urothelium.
Commodity Price Expectations and the Interest Rate

I. Introduction, 127. — II. A loanable funds model, 130. — III. Empirical results, 132. — IV. Macauley's criticism reconsidered, 138. — V. Conclusions, 139.
The drivers of reporter reintegration in Northern Uganda

The World Bank commissioned this report as part of a set of studies concerned with the Uganda Demobilization and Reintegration Program and the Amnesty Commission. The study represents one element of the set of studies which included the Final Independent Evaluation of the Uganda Emergency Demobilization and Reintegration Project (UgDRP), Reporter Reintegration Survey and Community Dynamics Survey, and a study on the relationship between the Amnesty Commission and its DDR Implementing Partners study. The background field work and research for this study was integrated into the overall background research and fieldwork for the set of studies. In this study the focus of the analysis is on processes of reintegration rather than the achievement of a static marker of reintegration. In other words rather than examining the experience of reporters to identify the ones who are reintegrated and the ones who are not, the study examines the complex interplay of elements in the process of social and economic reintegration to identify which drivers have most influenced (positively and negatively) the reintegration process in which reporters are and have been engaged. The study identifies the drivers of successful or unsuccessful reintegration and the crosscutting dynamics such as gender, tradition, poverty and economic markets that exacerbate the impact of drivers of reintegration on the lives of reporters and communities. The report presents actionable findings that can inform future programming in the area. The overall purpose of the study is to provide an analysis of the drivers of reintegration and to identify the distinguishing features of successful reintegration amongst reporters.
Growth of excised pea embryonic axes on different sugars

Excised pea embryonic axes were cultured on mineral salts plus various carbon sources. Growth continued for at least 3 wk, as measured by increased length, fresh and dry wt, sugar content, and f-amylase activity. The optimum sucrose concentration for elongation and fresh wt accumulation was 5% (w/v), although dry wt and sugar content increased in cultures containing 10 to 20%. Comparable growth was observed for axes cultured on 2% sucrose, glucose, fructose,
Patient characteristics associated with defects of the peritoneal cavity boundary.

⇔ Background: Conflicting literature exist regarding the patient characteristics that may confer an increased risk for anatomic complications of the peritoneal cavity boundaries. ⇔ Methods: We collected data from 75 randomly selected units in the United States and Canada, representing a total of 1864 peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. ⇔ Results: 200 of these patients experienced a total of 217 anatomic complications between July 2000 and June 2001; 16 patients had more than 1 complication. Hernias comprised 60.4% of all complications: 24.9% inguinal, 18.9% umbilical, 13.8% ventral, 2.3% femoral, and 0.5% intrathoracic. Other complications included pericatheter or subcutaneous leak (25.3%), hydrothorax (6.0%), and miscellaneous (8.3%). Peritoneal dialysis modalities in use at the time of complication were automated PD (52.3%), continuous ambulatory PD (38.6%), and nocturnal intermittent PD (9.1%). The overall incidence of hernias was 7%. ⇔ Conclusions: Logistic regression analysis found no association between hernias and age, body surface area, PD modality, volume of dialysate, time of largest dwell (day/ upright vs night/recumbent), or type of catheter used. Cystic disease conferred a 2.5-fold increase in risk for anatomic complications (p < 0.001); female gender conferred an 80% reduction in risk (p < 0.0001), and Kt/V ♢2.0 conferred a 52% reduction in risk (p < 0.05) for hernia. Perit Dial Int 2005; 25:367‐373 www.PDIConnect.com
Selecting child care.

Many women in the United States today wish to pursue a career after starting their family. Child care is a major determining factor in this pursuit. The types of care available, the pros and cons of each type of care, and how to arrange for the care are discussed.
Axial compartmentation of descending and ascending thin limbs of Henle's loops.

In the inner medulla, radial organization of nephrons and blood vessels around collecting duct (CD) clusters leads to two lateral interstitial regions and preferential intersegmental fluid and solu...
Using Performance Trajectories to Analyze the Immediate Impact of User State Misclassification in an Adaptive Spoken Dialogue System

We present a method of evaluating the immediate performance impact of user state misclassifications in spoken dialogue systems. We illustrate the method with a tutoring system that adapts to student uncertainty over and above correctness. First we define a ranking of user states representing local performance. Second, we compare user state trajectories when the first state is accurately classified versus misclassified. Trajectories are quantified using a previously proposed metric representing the likelihood of transitioning from one user state to another. Comparison of the two sets of trajectories shows whether user state misclassifications change the likelihood of subsequent higher or lower ranked states, relative to accurate classification. Our tutoring system results illustrate the case where user state misclassification increases the likelihood of negative performance trajectories as compared to accurate classification.