cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation: predictors of late recurrence.

Objective The Cox maze procedure was introduced in 1987 for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. This study evaluated the predictors of late atrial fibrillation recurrence in 276 consecutive patients who underwent this procedure at our institution. Methods From 1987 through June 2003, 276 patients (79 female and 197 male patients; mean age, 55 ± 11 years) underwent the Cox maze procedure. Thirty-three patients had Cox maze procedure I, 16 patients had Cox maze procedure II, and 197 patients had Cox maze procedure III. The last 30 patients underwent a modified procedure (Cox maze procedure IV) with bipolar radiofrequency ablation. There were 113 (41%) patients who had a concomitant operation, most commonly either a mitral valve procedure (19%) or coronary artery bypass grafting (20%). Data were analyzed by means of univariate analysis, with preoperative and perioperative variables used as covariates. Patient follow-up was conducted by means of questionnaire, physician examination, and electrocardiographic documentation. All patients had a minimum of 6 months of follow-up. Results Patient follow-up was achieved in 92.8% of cases, with a mean follow-up time of 5.8 ± 3.6 years. Risk factors for late atrial fibrillation recurrence were duration of preoperative atrial fibrillation ( P = .01) and Cox maze procedure version ( P = .001). There was no difference in actuarial 10-year survival between the Cox maze procedure versions. Conclusion The Cox maze procedure remains the gold standard for the treatment of atrial fibrillation and has excellent long-term efficacy. The most significant predictor of late recurrence was duration of preoperative atrial fibrillation, suggesting that earlier surgical intervention would further increase efficacy.
The environmental education through filmmaking project

The environmental education through filmmaking project, a case study at an alternative US public high school, investigates environmental literacies of ‘at-risk’ students who produced two short documentary films, one on recycling and one on water conservation. The filmmaking project sought to promote students’ awareness of environmental issues and increase their environmental literacy by exploring the conservation topics on multiple levels: carrying out research for their films, conducting interviews, and operating camera equipment. After completing the projects, we conducted focus group interviews with two control groups and two filmmaking groups and analyzed students’ responses using coded qualitative methodology to develop three theoretical constructs: (1) students’ construct knowledge about the environment through social processes that include interrelated influences from school, family, and the media; (2) apathy about the environment is common among ‘at-risk’ high school students who perceive their sc...
Modeling the influence of land use on groundwater chloride loading to lakes

Abstract Concern over potential ecological impacts of rising chloride concentrations in lakes has intensified interest in predicting how chloride concentrations in lakes will change over time. Since the 1970s, chloride concentrations have risen in a group of central Wisconsin lakes. The principal source of water to these lakes is groundwater, and rising chloride concentrations have coincided with increased chloride use within the groundwater contributing areas. A groundwater lake loading model was developed to show how chloride sources in groundwater-contributing areas change chloride concentrations in lakes. By using this model with measured chloride concentrations from the lakes, the chloride exported from different land uses was estimated. Chloride export from agricultural and residential land uses was estimated to be 41 kg/ha·yr and 51 kg/home·yr, respectively. Highway deicing was determined to be a minor source of chloride to these lakes due to the low density of primary roads. Chloride concentration...
Influence of structural dynamics on charge recombination rates in photogenerated radical ion pairs: Evidence from EPR spectroscopy and computation

In order to better understand the dependence of charge recombination rate vs. temperaturekCR(T) within a linear donor-chromophore-acceptor (D-C-A) molecular triad, the structural dynamics of the cation radical D+-C is studied individually using variable-temperature electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations. Here, the donor D isp-methoxyaniline, the chromophore C is 4-(N-piperidinyl)-naphthalene-1,8-dicarboximide, and the acceptor A is naphthalene-1,8∶4,5-bis(dicarboximide). The EPR spectra of D+-C exhibit marked changes in their overall shape throughout the 190–295 K temperature range. These spectra have hyperfine splittings that are strikingly well simulated with a model that includes methoxy group rotation, which occurs at a rate of 2.6 · 104 s−1 at 210 K and speeds up to 1.25 · 107 s−1 at 295 K, corresponding to an energy barrier of 38 kJ/mol. This considerable barrier reflects the partial conjugation between MeO and the aromatic ring and is confirmed by the calculated energy of a series of D+ ·-C rotamers. The simulations also reveal that inversion of the anilino N center emerges atT > 250 K and can be represented by a planar and a pyramidal conformation with the equilibrium constantK = [pyramidal]/[planar] increasing from 0.029 at 250 K to 0.56 at 295 K. In the same temperature range, the charge recombination rate of D+ ·-C-A− · accelerates abruptly and can be separated into two components, according to the above planar/pyramidal equilibrium. ThekCR(T) of the pyramidal conformation has an activation energy of 41 kJ/mol, virtually the same as the barrier of MeO rotation. These results show that the intramolecular structural dynamics of the radical cation within D+·-C-A− · control the overall charge recombination reaction with this radical ion pair.
A case of microgastria in association with splenic-gonadal fusion.

Microgastria is a rare congenital anomaly usually associated with asplenia. In this 21/2-year-old presenting with left hydrocele and inguinal hernia multiple accessory spleens were found in the inguinal-scrotal region compatible with splenic-gonadal fusion.99mTc-sulfur colloid scanning is helpful in microgastria searching for the presence of splenic tissue and in splenic-gonadal fusion for the location of accessory heterotopic spleens.
Précis of Facts, Values, and Norms

Moral thought and feeling are integral to how we see ourselves, how we live, and how we understand one another. Yet morality itself remains in many ways hard to understand. We speak of it as if it were a domain of knowledge, but what sort of knowledge could this be, and how would we acquire or test it? We appeal to it as if it afforded an objective standard for criticism and justification, rising above the level of personal aims or local custom, but what ground can we point to if asked to back this up? And we see it as having significant action-guiding force or normative authority, yet find it no easy matter to explain what this means, much less what would account for it. Small wonder Kant took seriously the worry that moral notions might covertly be based in "mere high-flown fantasy." The essays collected in Facts, Values, and Norms attempt to make morality a bit more understandable, and thereby a bit less vulnerable to skepticism. They do so within what strives to be a coherent framework for meta-ethics and normative ethics, a form of naturalistic realism that treats moral inquiry as continuous in method with empirical science. Many philosophers believe, I know, that such a view is wrong-headed from the outset. Whatever morality is, they argue, it is not an empirical theory of anything morality's character and methods belong to practical rather than theoretical reason. I believe that such criticisms run together things we do with moral language express commitment, claim authority, guide action, exert sanctions with what moral claims literally say such that moral discourse could sustain such uses.
All Hail to the Chief: Liberal IR Theory in the New World Order

Analytical pluralism in IR theory is a welcome development, yet it may also play a role in reifying our contemporary liberal world order. While there is clearly greater analytical diversity in the IR discipline today than in the latter half of the twentieth century, it is a diversity that is contained within the boundaries of acceptable liberal discourse. As a result, it does not constitute a challenge to dominant disciplinary ways of knowing and being. IR theory may enjoy a circumscribed version of analytical diversity in which multiple voices may speak but power does not listen. This possibility and its implications are considered, with particular attention paid to liberalism and positivism as the dominant analytical project of the contemporary moment.
Subsurface hydrogen on Ru(0001): Quantification by Cu titration☆

A method to determine the quantity of hydrogen in surface and subsurface sites on Ru(0001) is described. The technique is based on the differing behavior of hydrogen in surface and subsurface sites upon deposition of a Cu overlayer. Surface deuterium on Ru(0001), when covered with a monolayer or more of atomic Cu, will migrate onto the Cu surface by a spillover process. This results in the production of D2 thermal desorption state with peak maximum at ∼ 300 K for submonolayer D coverages. Annealing the deuterium overlayer on Ru(0001) to temperatures above ∼ 300 K results in an equilibrium distribution of deuterium between surface and subsurface Ru sites. Cu deposition onto the annealed D layer produces a new 400 K D2 desorption state originating from the subsurface region. Analysis of the two types of D produced by annealing suggests that the surface and subsurface D species are in thermal equilibrium in approximately equal populations at temperatures above ∼ 320 K. This observation suggests that the binding energies of the two sites are similar at the low D coverages present following such an anneal.
Juvenile rats show reduced c-fos activity in neural sites associated with aversion to pups and inhibition of maternal behavior

Juvenile rats (18-23 days old) interact avidly with pups as novel stimuli and show maternal behavior after only 1-3 days of pup exposure; adults initially avoid pups and require 3-9 days of pup exposure. Upon exposure to pups as novel stimuli, adults had more c-Fos-immunoreactive neurons in the hypothalamus and amygdala--regions associated with aversion to pups--than adults exposed to familiar pup stimuli (maternal) or not exposed to pups (p < .05). In juvenile rats exposed to pups as novel stimuli, only the medial amygdala had a small significant increase of c-Fos neurons. In juveniles, this blunted engagement of c-Fos neurons may reflect the diminished activation of inhibitory neurons, facilitating the interaction of juveniles with pups as novel stimuli and onset of maternal behavior.
The Effect of Earnings Discrimination Against Women on the Economic Position of Men

This paper uses the results of the 1970 census to examine the question whether males, especially lower-income males, benefit economically from earnings discrimination against women. The kinds of arguments raised in the literature on the parallel question, whether whites benefit from economic discrimination against blacks are examined for their bearing on the effect of sexual discrimination,. The ratio of urban female to urban male and the ratio of white female to white male earnings are used as indicators of earnings discrimination against women, while median annual male earnings and the Gini index of male earnings inequality are used as the measure of male gain. The fifty U.S. states are compared on these measures through correlation analysis. The percentage of the population in manufacturing, personal income per capita, the percent living in cities, the percentage of the population that is Third World and the region of the country are controlled through partial correlation. Indicators of earnings discrimination against women are also correlated with a measure of the strength of unions. The results show that discrimination agalinst women does not affect the median annual earnings of males, but that the greater the discrimination
Three studies of the effect of multiple standardized patients on intercase reliability of five standardized‐patient examinations

Standardized‐patient (SP) cases have been used in a postclerkship examination to assess clinical competence of five classes of senior medical students at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Two or more (multiple) SPs have been used to simulate at least half the cases in each examination administered to date. The present studies were conducted to determine the effect of multiple SPs on intercase reliability. In Study 1, for each class, generalizability analyses were performed to determine the intercase reliabilities for cases using a single SP and for cases using multiple SPs. Study 2 was conducted to compare the intercase reliabilities of those few cases that were used in two different classes, simulated by single SPs in one class and by multiple SPs in the other. Study 3 was undertaken to determine directly by statistical analysis of the multiple‐SP cases only, the contributions of multiple SPs to measurement error and, hence, reliability. The results of all three studies showed little or no...
Carbenium ions, onium ions, and covalent species in the cationic polymerization of alkenes

The importance of exchange reactions between various types of active species present in the cationic polymerization of alkenes is addressed. Reactivities of carbocations, corresponding ion pairs, onium ions, and covalent species are discussed for model systems and in real polymerization. The influence of various parameters on the equilibria between carbenium ions, onium ions, and covalent species is described. Rate constants of the isomerization of active sites are estimated and correlated with polydispersities. General ways to improve control of cationic polymerization of alkenes are discussed.
A Major Setback for Pay Equality The Supreme Court's Decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Pay inequities based on gender continue to pervade the public and private sector landscapes. Although Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended and the Equal Pay Act of 1963 proscribe unequal pay for equal work, the newly formed U.S. Supreme Court has issued a ruling in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (2007) that ignores Court precedents as well as provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1991, making it more difficult for employees to file suit for pay inequities. Ultimately, the problem of pay disparities in the workplace can only worsen.
Some comments on modeling of two‐stage crystallization kinetics

A two-stage crystallization kinetics model, first proposed by Hillier, is commented from the physical and numerical perspectives. A technique using an appropriate initial guess is also devised to extract meaningful parameters from the best-fit results, again using the DSC data from poly(etherketoneketone) and poly(phenylene sulfide) as examples. The proposed model offers a suitable compromise between good numerical simulation of the experimental data and sensible interpretation of Avrami theory
Field Investigation of Love Waves In Near-surface Seismology

We examine subsurface conditions and survey parameters suitable for successful exploitation of Love waves in nearsurface investigations. Love-wave generation requires the existence of a low shear-velocity surface layer. We examined the minimum thickness of the near-surface layer necessary to generate and record usable Love-wave data sets in the frequency range of 5–50 Hz. We acquired field data on a hillside with flat-lying limestone and shale layers that allowed for the direct testing of varying overburden thicknesses as well as varying acquisition geometry. The resulting seismic records and dispersion images were analyzed, and the Love-wave dispersion relation for two layers was examined analytically. We concluded through theoretical and field data analysis that a minimum thickness of 1 m of low-velocity material is needed to record usable data in the frequency range of interest in near-surface Love-wave surveys. The results of this study indicate that existing guidelines for Rayleigh-wave data acquisition, such as receiver interval and line length, are also applicable to Love-wave data acquisition.
Sucrose does not raise blood pressure in rats maintained on a low salt intake

Diets high in sucrose or fructose have been shown by others to induce a modest elevation of blood pressure in rats. The present experiments were conducted to determine whether the sucrose-induced increase of blood pressure is dependent on the intake of sodium chloride. Four groups of Sprague-Dawley rats were studied: 1) a group maintained on a low salt diet and distilled water (0.45% sodium chloride, no added sucrose), 2) a low salt-high sucrose group (0.45% sodium chloride diet and 7% sucrose in distilled water), 3) a high salt group (4% sodium chloride diet and distilled water), and 4) a high salt-high sucrose group on a diet adjusted daily to maintain the same high intakes of sodium chloride and sucrose as those of groups 2 and 3. Systolic blood pressures were measured by tail-cuff plethysmography during weeks 1-3 of treatment, and direct mean arterial blood pressures were recorded in conscious animals during week 4. Animals on the high salt diet gained weight more slowly than those on the low salt intake. On the low sodium chloride intake, blood pressures were not affected by high dietary sucrose (group 1 versus 2). In contrast, on the high sodium chloride intake, blood pressures were 10-14 mm Hg higher in sucrose-drinking animals than in water-drinking animals (group 3 versus 4). The increments in blood pressures of the high sodium chloride-high sucrose group were not accompanied by greater increments in body weight compared with the animals on the high sodium chloride intake alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Clinical presentation, natural history, and treatment of crescentic Proliferative IgA nephropathy

IgA nephropathy is one of the most common causes of glomerulonephritis in the world and is characterized histologically by the deposition of polymeric forms of IgA within the mesangium and in some cases along the glomerular capillary wall.(1) Proliferative and crescenteric forms of IgA are associated with nephrotic range proteinuria, accelerated hypertension, and a more rapid decline toward end-stage renal disease. Previous attempts to categorize the incidence and clinical significance of proliferative IgA nephropathy have given conflicting results. This is in part the result of the lack of a uniform nomenclature and the failure of clinical therapies to prolong renal survival in specific subgroups. In the present study, we performed a prospective open-label trial of pulse solumedrol and intravenous cyclophosphamide in 20 patients with IgA nephropathy and at least 10% cellular crescents or endocapillary proliferation on renal biopsy. Seventeen patients underwent repeat kidney biopsies after 6 months of therapy, and the morphologic response to treatment was assessed using a modified systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE) histologic activity and chronicity index score. To determine the long-term efficacy of intravenous cyclophosphamide on renal survival, the results of the treated patients were compared with 12 untreated historical controls. Pulse solumedrol and intravenous cyclophosphamide effectively reduced peak serum creatinine, degree of proteinuria, the rate of decline in renal function, and the incidence of end-stage renal disease at 36 months.
Multi-granular demand forecasting in SmarterWater

In this paper we describe the multi-resolution water consumption prediction based on the SmarterWater system. This prediction service provides household consumption projection and regional demand forecasting for both short-term and med-term. Water consumption prediction, together with the other functions in the SmarterWater service, has been deployed to Dubuque, IA. Consumption behavior change after accessing the service has been observed.
Using a Shielded Room to Characterize UDP Performance in the Presence of Interference in IEEE 802.11 Wireless Networks

It is critical to understand the effect of wireless interference so that we can better utilize the spectrum through dynamic allocation methods. This paper presents the results of an experimental study done to characterize UDP performance in wireless networks in the presence of interference. We have carried out experiments in a Shielded Room facility using three different interference sources. A controlled interference source was used to generate continuous interference along with two known interference sources: a microwave oven and a FHSS phone. The impact of these interference sources on UDP has been quantified. The results obtained from experiments done inside the Shielded Room are compared with results from those done outside. The implications of using the Shielded Room as an experimental environment are discussed.
Tarsal Coalition and Painful Flatfoot

The prevalence of tarsal coalition is probably 1% or less. The two sites most commonly affected are the calcaneonavicular joint and the middle facet of the talocalcaneal joint. Diagnosis should be suspected in the preteen or teenage patient with insidious or sudden onset of pain in the midfoot to hindfoot associated with a lack of motion in the subtalar joint. Initial treatment with immobilization or an orthosis may relieve symptoms, but most patients will have persistent symptoms that warrant surgical correction. Long-term results indicate that excision of the coalition is moderately successful in relieving symptoms in the calcaneonavicular bar. Long-term success with excision of subtalar bars is less clear, although early relief of symptoms is usually possible.
Electronic collaboration for highway projects under $10 million

This thesis describes the action research process of identifying a web-based project management system (WPMS) for the Iowa Department of Transportation’s (Iowa DOT) highway projects under $10 million. Noticing the advantages that a WPMS solution implemented for complex large bridge projects, the Iowa DOT sought to identify a WPMS solution for the shop drawing approval process of smaller highway projects. Action research, an iterative approach used to solve problems, was the methodology used by the researchers to identify possible solutions that met the Iowa DOT’s needs and requirements until, ultimately, reaching the final solution. Throughout this investigation, the research team developed several workflows for various shop drawing approval processes. These workflows represent the requirements that the Iowa DOT has established for the process as well as the parameters sought in a solution. After several iterations, the researchers selected a web-content management system, Microsoft SharePoint, as the solution for development and implementation for the small highway projects. Problems were encountered during the early stages of the SharePoint development process due to a license restriction that did not allow external users from the Iowa DOT network access the SharePoint page and documents. To solve this problem, it was recommended to acquire the external license. Throughout the entire identification, development, and implementation process it was noticed that action research is an effective method to identify and select a WPMS. It was also concluded that communication played an important role for the success of the development and implementation of the solution. The communication has to occur between the development and implementation team members. It was also found that the selected solution has to be integrated with existing software applications and programs that are currently in use at the Iowa DOT.
The effects of ileal transposition on food intake and body weight loss in VMH-obese rats.

Rats were made obese by VMH knife-cuts and then a S or 10 cm segment of terminal ileum was transposed to the duodenum. After surgery, the food moved from the stomach into upper duodenum and then traveled through the transposed ileal segment to lower duodenum and continued down the remaining normal digestive tract. heal transposition caused a significant reduction in food intake and a substantial loss of body weight. There was no difference in weight loss with S and 10 cm ileal transpositions in obese rats, but weight loss was much less in lean rats. Weight loss was accompanied by a considerable loss in dissectable body fat and an increase in the actual weight of the pancreas and small intestine. These changes are probably caused by the unusual stimulation of a short segment of terminal ileum with undigested food and pancreatic enzymes and may have been mediated by the release of ileal hormones. Changes in plasma levels of metabolites, intracellular enzymes, and protein are presented and the importance of this surgery for the treatment of human obesity is evaluated. Am J C/in Nutr 1982:35:284-293.
Inclusive fitness and differential productivity across the life course determine intergenerational transfers in a small-scale human society.

Transfers of resources between generations are an essential element in current models of human life-history evolution accounting for prolonged development, extended lifespan and menopause. Integrating these models with Hamilton’s theory of inclusive fitness, we predict that the interaction of biological kinship with the age-schedule of resource production should be a key driver of intergenerational transfers. In the empirical case of Tsimane’ forager–horticulturalists in Bolivian Amazonia, we provide a detailed characterization of net transfers of food according to age, sex, kinship and the net need of donors and recipients. We show that parents, grandparents and siblings provide significant net downward transfers of food across generations. We demonstrate that the extent of provisioning responds facultatively to variation in the productivity and demographic composition of families, as predicted by the theory. We hypothesize that the motivation to provide these critical transfers is a fundamental force that binds together human nuclear and extended families. The ubiquity of three-generational families in human societies may thus be a direct reflection of fundamental evolutionary constraints on an organism’s life-history and social organization.
Sequence similarity of putative transposases links the maize Mutator autonomous element and a group of bacterial insertion sequences

The Mutator transposable element system of maize is the most active transposable element system characterized in higher plants. While Mutator has been used to generate and tag thousands of new maize mutants, the mechanism and regulation of its transposition are poorly understood. The Mutator autonomous element, MuDR, encodes two proteins: MURA and MURB. We have detected an amino acid sequence motif shared by MURA and the putative transposases of a group of bacterial insertion sequences. Based on this similarity we believe that MURA is the transposase of the Mutator system. In addition we have detected two rice cDNAs in genbank with extensive similarity to MURA. This sequence similarity suggests that a Mutator-like element is present in rice. We believe that Mutator, a group of bacterial insertion sequences, and an uncharacterized rice transposon represent members of a family of transposable elements.
Measurement of mean and variance of velocity fields within each voxel by NMR imaging

If a flow field exists within an object that is being imaged, there could be a velocity spectrum in each voxel due to the finite voxel size. Consequently, the mean value and the variance of velocity in each voxel can be defined and used to describe the velocity spectrum. An NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) imaging technique for performing the spatially resolved measurement of the mean value and the variance of velocity as well as the conventional spin density is proposed. A theoretical formalism and experimental results are presented and show good agreement. This technique is expected to be useful in the spatially resolved measurement of random directional flow, such as the fluid flow in living tissue and through porous materials. >
Time- and Dose-Dependent Development of Potassium Bromate-Induced Tumors in Male Fischer 344 Rats:

Potassium bromate (KBrO 3) is a rodent carcinogen and a nephro- and neurotoxicant in humans. KBrO3 is used in cosmetics and food products and is a by-product of water disinfection by ozonization. KBrO3 is carcinogenic in the rat kidney, thyroid, and mesothelium and is a renal carcinogen in the male mouse. The present study was designed to investigate the relationship of time and dose to bromate-induced tumors in male Fischer 344 (F344) rats and to provide some insight into the development of these tumors. KBrO 3 was dissolved in drinking water at nominal concentrations of 0, 0.02, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 g/L and administered to male F344 rats as the sole water source for 12, 26, 52, 78, or 100 wk. Renal cell tumors were present after 52 wk of treatment only in the high-dose group. Mesotheliomas developed after 52 wk of treatment on the tunica vaginalis. Mesotheliomas were present at sites other than the testicle after 78 wk of treatment, indicating that their origin was the testicular tunic. Thyroid follicular ...
Integrating parallel file systems with object-based storage devices

As storage systems evolve, the block-based design of today's disks is becoming inadequate. As an alternative, object-based storage devices (OSDs) offer a view where the disk manages data layout and keeps track of various attributes about data objects. By moving functionality that is traditionally the responsibility of the host OS to the disk, it is possible to improve overall performance and simplify management of a storage system. The capabilities of OSDs will also permit performance improvements in parallel file systems, such as further decoupling metadata operations and thus reducing metadata server bottlenecks. In this work we present an implementation of the Parallel Virtual File System (PVFS) integrated with a software emulator of an OSD and describe an infrastructure for client access. Even with the overhead of emulation, performance is comparable to a traditional server-fronted implementation, demonstrating that serverless parallel file systems using OSDs are an achievable goal.
Mouse embryos lacking RXR alpha are resistant to retinoic-acid-induced limb defects

Embryonic exposure to the vitamin A metabolite retinoic acid (RA) causes malformations in numerous developing tissues, including the limbs, which serves as a model system of retinoic acid action. RA treatment of wild-type mouse embryos results in digit truncations and long bone reductions. These effects are mediated by products of the retinoic acid and retinoid X receptor genes (RARs and RXRs), members of the nuclear receptor family of ligand-dependent transcription factors. Mouse embryos homozygous for a mutation in the RXR alpha gene appear normal in limb development, although such embryos are phenotypically affected in other tissues. We now describe resistance to limb malformations normally induced by teratogenic RA exposure in the RXR alpha-/- background. RA treatments that cause limb defects in 100% of wild-type embryos fail to elicit malformations in RXR alpha homozygotes, implicating RXR alpha as a component in the teratogenic process in the limbs. Heterozygous embryos are intermediate in sensitivity to RA, suggesting the importance of RXR alpha gene dosage in limb teratogenesis. Expression of the RA-inducible gene RAR beta 2 was equivalent between wild-type and homozygous embryos after RA treatment. RA treatment also did not distinguish between wild-type and RXR alpha -/- embryos in the spatial expression of sonic hedgehog (Shh) and hoxd-12, two other genes implicated in limb development. However, the quantitative level of hoxd-12 expression was elevated in RXR alpha -/- embryos. These observations indicate that transcriptional processes which are inappropriately regulated in the mouse limb by exogenous RA require RXR alpha for their execution, and that specific teratogenic processes, as well as specific normal developmental processes under vitamin A control, occur through individual members of the RXR and RAR families.
The eradication of bovine tuberculosis in the United States in a comparative perspective

At the dawn of the twentieth century, tuberculosis (TB) was the leading cause of death in the industrialized world. In 1900, TB caused about 1 out of every 9 deaths in the United States. Death represented only a fraction of the disease’s cost because, besides those that succumbed, countless others were permanently crippled and wasted away in pain. It is probable that 10% or more of U.S. TB sufferers had contracted the bovine form of the disease. Infected milk products were the main conduit to humans; however, other cattle products, direct contact with cattle, and swine products all posed a danger. Bovine-type infections were far more common in nonpulmonary cases and in children, especially infants. The mysteries of this classic zoonotic disease needed to be understood before effective action could be taken.
Synthesis, radiosynthesis, and rat microPET evaluation of an F-18 CRF-1 receptor PET tracer

1104 Objectives Corticotropin-releasing factor type-1 receptor (CRF-1) is involved in the vertebrate response to stress, and a reduction in CRF-1 density in the frontal cortex has been detected in suicide victims. The ability to image CRF-1 with PET would enable the measurement of CRF-1 density in the brain and would allow for occupancy measurements of CRF-1 antagonist therapeutics. Previous CRF-1 PET tracers either failed to enter the brain or were able to enter the brain but did not show specific binding. In this study we prepared a fluorinated derivative of a known CRF-1 antagonist and evaluated the whole brain uptake in a rat. Methods 3-(2,4-Dichlorophenyl)-N-(4-fluorobutyl)-N,2,5-trimethylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-amine was synthesized by N-alkylation of the N-methyl derivative with fluoro-butyl-tosylate. This same method was utilized with [18F]fluoro-butyl-tosylate to prepare the PET tracer by a two-step method. Alternatively, a one-step radiolabeling was also performed by reacting [18F]fluoride with the N-butyl-tosylate derivative. Whole-brain uptake was evaluated in a male Sprague-Dawley rat with microPET. Results The PET tracer was obtained in 9.6 ± 4.3% rcy (n = 3) by the two-step method and 45 ± 11.5% rcy (n = 3) by the one-step method. The octanol/water partition coefficient was determined for two separate radiolabeling runs and found to be logP7.4 = 2.3 ± 0.1 (n = 7). Rat whole-brain uptake peaked at 10.5 min (SUV = 2.1) and then steadily washed out during the course of the microPET study (45 min). High uptake was also observed in the liver and harderian glands. Conclusions The one-step radiolabeling method produced significantly higher radiochemical yields than the two-step method. The logP value was in the range that is expected to allow penetration of the BBB and brain uptake was observed in a rat using microPET. Further studies will need to be performed in non-human primates to determine whether specific binding can be achieved. Research Support Funded by NIMH (U19 MH069056).
Bronchoscopic pursuit of the peripheral pulmonary lesion: navigational bronchoscopy, radial endobronchial ultrasound, and ultrathin bronchoscopy.

Purpose of reviewPeripheral pulmonary lesions (PPL) are being diagnosed with increasing frequency, especially with the increased use of chest computed tomography (CT). Depending on the location and size, these lesions often present a diagnostic challenge in terms of the low yield of traditional bron
Status of the pituitary-adrenocortical-liver axis following partial hepatectomy.

AbstractSince the liver is the primary site of steroid degradation and plasma binding protein synthesis, studies were undertaken to evaluate adrenocortical activity in partially hepatectomized (H) male rats. Two days after either 10, 30, 40, or 70% H, significant decreases in liver mass were observed, while elevations in total and free plasma corticosterone levels, adrenal corticosterone content, and adrenal weights were noted only in the 70% H group. Hepatic δ4-steroid hydrogenase activity was significantly depressed in both whole and microsomal, but not in the supernatant, fractions of the regenerating liver of the 70% H group. Although plasma ACTH levels were unchanged in these animals, the in vitro adrenocortical responsiveness to ACTH was increased. These data suggest that a portion of the increase in total plasma corticosterone levels post-70% H was due to a reduction in the hepatic capacity to inactivate corticosterone, while the remainder may be due to an increase in adrenocortical secretion as a ...
Solvability of Infinite Systems of Polynomial Equations Over the Field of Complex Numbers

(1985). Solvability of Infinite Systems of Polynomial Equations Over the Field of Complex Numbers. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 92, No. 2, pp. 94-98.
Perceptions of Course Value and Issues of Specialization in Undergraduate Music Teacher Education Curricula.

Music educators (n = 601) responded to a survey designed to investigate what undergraduate music education curricular changes might be desired to better serve the profession. Participants rated the...
Introduction: The Diversity of Culture

By AMY BINDER, MARY BLAIR-LOY, JOHN EVANS, KWAI NG, and MICHAEL SCHUDSON 2008, the much publicized "cultural turn" in sociology is old news.1 How far are we from the point where we made our initial turn toward culture? Some say we are in the midst of it (Friedland and Mohr 2004), while others believe we are in fact moving "beyond" it (Bonnell and Hunt 1999). Rather than debate this question, our goal in this special volume of The Annals is to add substance to the claim that all sociology must concern itself with meaning. The volume will provide evidence of cultural work being done throughout the discipline by offering updated reports from several different sociological subfields. The collection intentionally differs from other attempts to define cultural sociology from a particular theoretical position. Rather than aiming for definitive conclusions, we demonstrate how culture is already put into use in many areas of sociological inquiry, some of which, at first glance, seem to have little to do with culture.
Backstepping Control of an SMA-Actuated Manipulator

In this paper a nonlinear model-based controller is designed to globally asymptotically stabilize a single-degree-of-freedom shape memory alloy (SMA) actuated manipulator. A three part model was constructed based on the dynamics/kinematics of the arm, the thermomechanical behavior of SMA’s, and an assumed heat transfer model consisting of electrical heating and natural convection. The backstepping control is used to calculate the applied voltage to the SMA wire. Initially, the SMA’s wire stress is assumed to be the control input of the system. The stress is then chosen to asymptotically stabilize the desired position. The applied voltage to the SMA wire is the actual control input. This voltage is calculated based on the desired stress and the SMA’s thermomechanical and heat transfer models. It is shown that the calculated voltage can globally asymptotically stabilize the system. Numerical simulations are performed to investigate stabilizing performance as well as other issues such as robustness. The results demonstrate that the backstepping controller designs is highly accurate in stabilization.© 2004 ASME
Patient Perceptions of the Environment of Care in Which Their Healthcare is Delivered

Objective:To measure patients’ perceptions of the environment of care (EOC), with a focus on the physical environment, in which healthcare is delivered.Background:The EOC may impact patient experiences, care perceptions, and health outcomes. EOC may be improved through redesign of existing physical structures or spaces or by adding nurturing amenities.Methods:Demographics, health status, hospital use, and data on the environment (physical, comfort, orientation, and privacy) were collected via a mailed cross-sectional survey sent to patients seen at four hospital Centers of Innovation (COIs; that implemented many modifications to the healthcare environment to address physical, comfort, orientation, and privacy factors) and four matched controls, supplemented with checklist and VA administrative data. A modified Perceived Hospital Environment Quality Indicators instrument was used to measure patients’ EOC perceptions.Results:Respondents (3,321/5,117; 65% response) rated, [mean (SD)], exterior space highest,...
The Distance between Two Graphs

Given the graphs of two functions-graphs that do not intersect-one might wonder about the minimum distance between them and how it is calculated. On first consideration, it would seem that a solution to this problem requires multivariable calculus because the distance between points on the two graphs is a function of their x-coordinates. But here is a way to solve some such problems in a beginning calculus course using single variable methods. As an example, let us examine the graphs of f(x) = ex and g(t) = -t2 (see the figure). It appears that the minimum distance between these graphs occurs along a line segment that is perpendicular to both graphs. If this is indeed the case, then we can find the values of x and t for which the line segment joining (x, ex) and (t, -t2) is perpendicular to the tangent lines to the graphs at these two points. This idea is represented in the system
Experimental Evidence of Super Densification of Adsorbed Hydrogen by in-situ Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS)

Entrapping hydrogen molecules within the nanopores of solid adsorbents serves as a unique alternative for on-board storing of hydrogen for transportation purposes. The key advantage of the physisorption process for hydrogen storage is the higher density values achieved with the adsorbed gas, compared to that of the compressed phase, translating into higher storage capacities at lower pressures. The necessary condition for effective adsorption is the presence of narrow micropores of < 2 nm in width which provide the most suitable environment of hydrogen adsorption. Despite numerous theoretical calculations or indirect experimental estimations, there has not been a direct experimental measurement of the density of adsorbed hydrogen as a function of pressure and/or pore size. In the present study, we report on the use of in-situ small angle neutron scattering (SANS) to study the phase behavior of hydrogen confined in narrow micropores. We provide for the first time direct experimental measurements of the effect of pore size and pressure on hydrogen adsorbed on a polyfurfuryl alcohol-derived activated carbon (PFAC), at room temperature and pressures up to 207 bar. SANS studies were carried out at the General-Purpose Small-Angle Neutron Scattering spectrometer of the High Flux Isotope Reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The measurements covered the Q-range from 0.01 to 0.8 A-1, covering the pores in the range of 9 to 34 A of the PFAC material. Initial results suggest that the density of adsorbed hydrogen is higher than the density of bulk hydrogen gas and increases with decreasing pore size.
Monitoring and analysis of enterovirus 71 and cox A16 in Huzhou in 2008

Objective:To understand the infection status of enterovirus in Huzhou,which may be used as references for preventing and controlling the enterovirus.Methods:Using differdnet primers,we detected the general enteroviru,enterovirus 71 and coxsackie virus A16 from the herpes,throat swab specimens and stool specimens of 101 enterovirus-suspected infections by the RT-PCR and Real-Time PCR(fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR).Results:87cases were positive for the general enterovirus and the positive rate was 86.14%(87/101).There were 20 cases positive in EV71,and the positive rate was 19.80%(20/101).One case was in Cox A16,the positive rate 0.99%(1/101).14 cases were both negative.Considering the gender differences of positive cases,the male and female was 18.46%(12/65) and 25.0%(9/36),respectively.The positive rate of EV71 from herpes was 24.32%(9/37),and the rate of Cox A16 from which was 2.70%(1/37).Similarly,the positive rates of EV71 and Cox A16 from throat swab specimens were 18.96%(11/58)and zero,respectively.By contrast,we had not detected the EV71 and Cox A16 in stool specimens.Conclusion:EV71 is one of the main pathogens causing children with hand,foot and mouth disease in Huzhou.The incidence of EV71and Cox A16 has no gender differences,and the positive rate of EV71 and Cox A16 in herpes or throat swab specimens are more higher than those in the stool specimens.The data indicates that we should improve the ability of differential diagnosis of EV71 and Cox A16 in order to make great progress in preventing and controlling of these diseases.
The Configuration and Exploration of Cultivating Market-oriented Practical Talents in Independent College

Independent college is a breakthrough and creation of the current high-education system.It is different from both traditional public universities and private colleges and academies.With the ubiquity of high education and facing the increasingly competitive human-resource market,a thorough research and exploration must be conducted on the configuration of cultivating market-oriented practical talents in independent college.With the diversity of talents need,this paper specifies the concept and ways of running colleges,creating new cultivating models,and making efforts to cultivate market-oriented practical talents.
Taking the patient's view of health reform.

To many, health reform seems to consist entirely of enormous changes in how the nation's medical bills will be paid. In reality, sweeping social changes will also accompany reform, including new ways of obtaining a patient's medical history and an end to traditional barriers to health care access. Changes must be made in the nonfinancial elements of the U.S. health system for reform to make a positive difference in patients' lives.
Long-term safety and efficacy of programmable implantable insulin delivery systems.

OBJECTIVES Since only short-term studies of continuous intraperitoneal insulin infusion (CIPII) therapy using implantable programmable insulin delivery systems have been performed to show this method of diabetes therapy to be safe and efficacious, we have performed long-term studies to assess its safety and efficacy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS For 78 patient-years of follow-up, we have longitudinally studied the incidence of diabetic ketoacidosis and severe hypoglycemia in 25 type 1 diabetic patients treated with CIPII. We also compared, cross-sectionally, the long-term safety and efficacy of CIPII to intensive subcutaneous insulin therapy using intermittent injections or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion. Finally, we examined the relationship between glycated hemoglobin levels and the standard deviation of daily blood glucose excursion. RESULTS Cross-sectional analysis revealed similar degrees of metabolic control accompanied by significantly decreased rates of both ketoacidosis (0.013 events/patient/year) and severe hypoglycemia (0.05 events/patient/year) during CIPII compared to intermittent injections and continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy. A four-fold decrease in the rate of severe hypoglycemia was observed during longitudinal comparison of pre- and post-implantation complication rates. A relationship was also shown between decreased levels of mean glycated hemoglobin and the standard deviation of blood glucose excursions during CIPII therapy. CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrate that long-term therapy with CIPII is as effective as other methods in achieving near-normal levels of glycated hemoglobin, which in CIPII is associated with a decreased standard deviation of blood glucose excursions. Further, CIPII using implantable programmable insulin delivery systems is the safest method described for intensive insulin therapy in home blood glucose monitoring type 1 diabetic patients.