cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Growth and development in infants after renal transplantation

Between January 1, 1978, and August 31, 1985, 13 infants aged 6 to 11 months received primary renal transplants (12, living related donor; one cadaver) at the University of Minnesota. Twelve infants are alive with functioning graffs (10 primary and two second transplants) after 4 months to 7.5 years. To assess the long-term outcome, we analyzed growth and development in the first nine infants 2 to 7.5 years after receiving their first transplant. Before transplantation, head circumference and height standard deviation scores in six of nine infants were
Instability of novel ant-fungal associations constrains horizontal exchange of fungal symbionts

One of the more fascinating features of fungus-gardening ants (Attini: Formicidae) is their fidelity to their lineage-specific fungal symbionts. Among the derived higher-attine ants (leafcutter ants and close relatives), it is thought that most leaf-cutting ants grow Attamyces fungus whereas most Trachymyrmex ants grow ‘Trachymyces’ fungus, but there exist exceptions to this clade-to-clade correspondence between ants and fungi. The exceptions are inconsistent with strict one-to-one coevolution, which suggests that ants sometimes are able to switch to novel fungi. Such switches appear to be largely constrained and ants are generally faithful to their species-specific fungi. Prior experiments demonstrated no clear fitness consequences of growing novel fungi over the short-term when the ant Trachymyrmex septentrionalis was symbiont-switched by forcing it to grow Attamyces leaf-cutter fungus. We hypothesized that long-term ant-fungal fidelity is constrained either by physiological differences among fungal species or by garden diseases that symbiont-switched ants cannot control. Repeat experiments in a different location show that T. septentrionalis colonies switched to grow Attamyces exhibit sudden declines in garden biomass and consequent fitness reductions due to garden destruction by pathogens, whereas control colonies (Trachymyrmex ants cultivating Trachymyces fungus) do not show parallel garden declines. These patterns are mirrored in symbiont-switch experiments conducted on colonies in Trachymyrmex turrifex. Disease microbes selecting on ant-cultivar combinations therefore can constrain switches to novel cultivars and maintain combinations that are more resistant to disease.
The emerging phonological system of an autistic child

This case report provides a detailed phonological investigation of the speech of an 8-year-old autistic boy. Three approaches were used for elicitation of speech: delayed imitation, object naming, and a connected speech sample. Phonetic inventory analysis revealed that stops, nasals, and glides were generally present, whereas fricatives, affricates, and the liquid /r/ were absent. There were also positional restrictions on the use of specific sounds. This information, together with a phonological process analysis, revealed: (a) the existence of several phonological processes that are common in normal development; (b) the persistence of several phonological processes, e.g., velar fronting, beyond the expected age; (c) the occurrence of some unusual sound changes, e.g., extensive glottal replacement and segment coalescence; (d) evidence of "chronological mismatch" (Grunwell, 1981); and (e) restricted use of contrasts (Ingram, 1976). The subject's use of phonological processes resulted in extensive homonymy, which, together with process interactions and the use of jargon, resulted in severely reduced intelligibility. This child appeared to be acquiring his phonological system in at least a partly unique way, showing some typical patterns as well as some patterns that rarely appear in normally developing children.
Tomographic Imaging of Cross-well EM Data

A 2-D iterative EM Born inversion method has been developed for estimating the Earth’s electrical conductivity stmcture between two boreholes. The theory is developed for a vertical magnetic dipole located in a bore hole in either a whole-space or half-space that exhibits a cyliidrical symmetry about the bore hole axis. The inversion scheme uses the first order Born approximation to invert for an initial model, and then employs higher order terms in the Born series to achieve more accurate images. The inversion routine has been applied to a cross-hole data set collected at the British Petroleum test site near Devine, Texas. The geology is predominantly 1-D with interbedded layers of sandstone, shale and limestone. The resulting image shows a resistive zone within a conductive medium which is consistent with both the well log and 1-D inversions. Continuing experiments are being conducted at the University of California’s Richmond Field Station test site. The goal of these experiments is to use cross-well EM to monitor the injection of salt water plumes. Inversion results of forward model calculations that simulate the experiment show that the iterative Born method does reconstruct the horizontal extent of the plume. Initial tests of the inversion using the field data support hese model results.
User Cooperation for Energy-Efficient Cellular Communications

User cooperation improves performance in wireless systems, but it requires other users to expend energy acting as relays. When energy is scarce, users have incentive to refuse to cooperate in order to conserve resources. Therefore, we investigate cooperative communications from an energy- efficiency perspective. We present a cellular framework in which two mobile users, who desire to communicate with a common base station, may cooperate via decode-and-forward relaying. We maximize users' bits-per-energy efficiency by defining the achievable bits-per-energy region and finding the power allocations that achieve its Pareto boundary. To find an efficient approach that gives selfish users incentive to cooperate, we apply game theory, finding the power allocations that achieve the Nash bargaining solution. Numerical results indicate that the Nash bargain provides a fair and efficient compromise and that both users obtain noticeably improved bits-per-energy efficiency via cooperation
A Class of All Digital Phase Locked Loops: Modeling and Analysis

An all digital phase locked loop which tracks the phase of the incoming signal once per carrier cycle is proposed. The different elements and their functions, and the phase lock operation are explained in detail. The general digital loop operation is governed by a nonlinear difference equation from which a suitable model is developed. The lock range for the general model is derived. The performance of the digital loop for phase step and frequency step inputs for different levels of quantization without loop filter are studied. The analytical results are checked by simulating the actual system on the digital computer.
Bovine Lymphosarcoma in California II. The Thymic Form

Fourteen cases of bovine lymphosarcoma in which the primary lesion appeared to be in the thymus have been described. The animals were between 7 and 30 months of age and 10 were of the Hereford breed. Most of the lymphosarcoma cases encountered in Hereford cattle in California have been of this type, but there are insufficient epizootiological data to prove that this is a real, not an apparent, prevalence.Morphologically, the characteristic lesion was massive thymic enlargement. Apart from involvement of bone marrow and regional nodes, there were few lesions elsewhere in the body. Only one animal had a frank leukemia in spite of the frequent occurrence of bone marrow infiltration.Thymic lymphosarcoma generally differs from calf and adult forms of the disease with respect to age of the affected animal and characteristic morphological features.
The stability of a rotating liquid drop

In this paper, the stability of a rotating drop held together by surface tension is investigated by an appropriate extension of the method of the tensor virial. Consideration is restricted to axisymmetric figures of equilibrium which enclose the origin. These figures form a one parameter sequence; and a convenient parameter for distinguishing the members of the sequence is Σ = ρΩ 2 a 3 /8 T , where Ω is the angular velocity of rotation, a is the equatorial radius of the drop, ρ is its density, and T is the interfacial surface tension. It is shown that Σ ⩽ 2.32911 ( not 1 + √2 as is sometimes supposed) if the drop is to enclose the origin. It is further shown that with respect to stability, the axisym metric sequence of rotating drops bears a remarkable similarity to the Maclaurin sequence of rotating liquid masses held together by their own gravitation. Thus, at a point along the sequence (where Σ = 0.4587) a neutral mode of oscillation occurs without in stability setting in at that point (i.e. provided no dissipative mechanism is present); and the in stability actually sets in at a subsequent point (where Σ = 0.8440) by overstable oscillations with a frequency Ω. The dependence on Σ of the six characteristic frequencies, belonging to the second harmonics, is determined (tables 3 and 4) and exhibited (figures 3 and 4).
An experimental evaluation of link delay impact on throughput performance of TCP and SCPS-TP in space communications

Space Communication Protocol Standards - Transport Protocol (SCPS-TP) is a set of extensions to the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) aimed at improving TCP performance in the space environment. Some work has been done on performance comparison between SCPS-TP and the widely used TCP. It is expected to have an experimental evaluation of the link delay impact on SCPS-TP, especially by comparing it with standard TCP. The paper describes an experimental study of link delay impact on throughput performance of TCP and SCPS-TP. It has been found that the SCPS protocol implementation is less sensitive to link delay variations than the TCP implementation. TCP is highly sensitive, SCPS-VJ is moderately sensitive, and SCPS-Vegas is less sensitive, to the change of link delay.
Predicting FCAT Reading Scores Using the Reading-Level Indicator

Multiple regression analysis indicates that the Reading-Level Indicator, a paper-and-pencil test, is a moderately strong predictor for the high-stakes standardized test, the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test in Reading. Classroom teachers can administer the inexpensive Reading-Level Indicator in a short period of time and use the results as a tool to identify students who need extra preparation before high-stakes tests. Assigning students to differentiated instructional groups based on Reading-Level Indicator scores could be an effective strategy for improving high-stakes test scores.
Ethanol and Cognition: Indirect Effects, Neurotoxicity and Neuroprotection: A Review

Ethanol affects cognition in a number of ways. Indirect effects include intoxication, withdrawal, brain trauma, central nervous system infection, hypoglycemia, hepatic failure, and Marchiafava-Bignami disease. Nutritional deficiency can cause pellagra and Wernicke-Korsakoff disorder. Additionally, ethanol is a direct neurotoxin and in sufficient dosage can cause lasting dementia. However, ethanol also has neuroprotectant properties and in low-to-moderate dosage reduces the risk of dementia, including Alzheimer type. In fetuses ethanol is teratogenic, and whether there exists a safe dose during pregnancy is uncertain and controversial.
ON THE EFFECTIVE NUMBER OF BOSONS IN THE INTERACTING BOSON MODEL

Abstract A procedure for calculating the effective number of bosons in the Interacting Boson Model is proposed. As an example, a calculation is presented for the 50–82 major shell for protons in which there is a subshell closure at Z = 64.
Multiple primary malignancies involving colorectal cancer—clinical characteristics and prognosis with reference to surveillance

Background/aim The purpose of this study was to investigate clinically useful information for effective screening for synchronous and metachronous second primary cancers and to suggest potential surveillance tool.
Agricultural Exports and the Environment: A Cross-National Study of Fertilizer and Pesticide Consumption.

The mass consumption of agrochemicals, including manufactured fertilizers and pesticides, by industrialized agricultural systems worldwide threatens human health and the health of ecosystems. The production of these agricultural inputs is a highly energy- and capital-intensive process, and their application contributes to a variety of direct and indirect impacts on the environment. This study is an analysis of the relationships between international trade in agricultural products and the consumption of these synthetic compounds. Using OLS regression models and data from World Bank and UNFAO, we analyze cross-national data to examine the relationship between structural factors, such as economic development and export intensity, and both fertilizer and pesticide consumption. The findings are considered from the opposing theoretical perspectives of international political economy (IPE) and neo-liberal modernization (NLM). The results generally support the claims of IPE and contradict those of NLM, indicating that increases in exports of agricultural products contribute to increases in fertilizer and pesticide consumption within nations. These results call into question policies that promote increased trade liberalization in agricultural products.
Control of an unmanned coaxial helicopter using hybrid fuzzy-PID controllers

In this paper a hybrid control system for a novel small scale coaxial helicopter is presented. Based on a cascade architecture the control system is made up of an inner-loop, for attitude control, and an outer-loop, for trajectory control. The inner-loop consists of three PID controllers for the roll and pitch angles, and altitude control. The outer-loop generates the reference signals for the inner-loop and is based on two fuzzy controllers that provide a viable way of including human flight experience into the control system. Simulation results, for hovering and non-aggressive flight, demonstrate that the proposed controller is very promising.
Strategy for Systematic Assembly of Large RNA and DNA Genomes: Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus Model

A systematic method was developed to assemble functional full-length genomes of large RNA and DNA viruses. Coronaviruses contain the largest single-stranded positive-polarity RNA genome in nature. The approximately 30-kb genome, coupled with regions of genomic instability, has hindered the development of a full-length infectious cDNA construct. We have assembled a full-length infectious construct of transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), an important pathogen in swine. Using a novel approach, six adjoining cDNA subclones that span the entire TGEV genome were isolated. Each clone was engineered with unique flanking interconnecting junctions which determine a precise systematic assembly with only the adjacent cDNA subclones, resulting in an intact TGEV cDNA construct of approximately 28.5 kb in length. Transcripts derived from the full-length TGEV construct were infectious, and progeny virions were serially passaged in permissive host cells. Viral antigen production and subgenomic mRNA synthesis were evident during infection and throughout passage. Plaque-purified virus derived from the infectious construct replicated efficiently and displayed similar plaque morphology in permissive host cells. Host range phenotypes of the molecularly cloned and wild-type viruses were similar in cells of swine and feline origin. The recombinant viruses were sequenced across the unique interconnecting junctions, conclusively demonstrating the marker mutations and restriction sites that were engineered into the component clones. Full-length infectious constructs of TGEV will permit the precise genetic modification of the coronavirus genome. The method that we have designed to generate an infectious cDNA construct of TGEV could theoretically be used to precisely reconstruct microbial or eukaryotic genomes approaching several million base pairs in length.
Cloning and nucleotide sequence of bisC, the structural gene for biotin sulfoxide reductase in Escherichia coli.

Abstract Clones of the Escherichia coli bisC locus have been isolated by complementing a bisC mutant for growth with d-biotin d-sulfoxide as a biotin source. The complementation properties of deletions and Tn5 insertions located the bisC gene to a 3.7-kilobase-pair (kbp) segment, 3.3 kbp of which has been sequenced. A single open reading frame of 2,178 bp, capable of encoding a polypeptide of molecular weight 80,905, was found. In vitro transcription of plasmids carrying the wild-type sequence and deletion and insertion mutants showed that BisC complementation correlated perfectly with production of a polypeptide whose measured molecular weight (79,000) does not differ significantly from 80,905.
Dynamic neural networks partial least squares (DNNPLS) identification of multivariable processes

This paper presents the dynamic neural networks partial least squares (DNNPLS) as a strategy for open-loop identification of multivariable chemical processes that circumvent some of the difficulties associated with multivariable process control. The DNNPLS is an extension of the neural networks’ partial least squares (NNPLS) developed by Qin and McAvoy (Comp. Chem. Eng. 20 (1992) 379). Here, a dynamic extension to the NNPLS algorithm is proposed in which the static neural network models in the latent space (inner relationship) are replaced by dynamic neural network models. Though this approach has previously been dismissed as being sub-optimal (Am. Inst. Chem. Eng. J. 38 (1992) 1593; Chem. Eng. Sci. 48 (1993) 3447) in terms of the outer relationship (relationship between the residuals), Lakshminarayanan et al. (Am. Inst. Chem. Eng. J. 43 (1997) 2307) have shown that this sub-optimality problem comes into prominence only when no attention is placed on the design of the plant probing signals. As illustrations, the DNNPLS identification strategy is implemented on simulations of a model IV fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) and of an isothermal reactor. In both cases, it is shown that the methodology is capable of modeling the dynamics of the chemical processes and an improved performance is achieved over that of the PLS-ARMA (Comp. Chem. Eng. 20 (1996) 147) for the isothermal reactor. # 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
FOXM1 is a molecular determinant of the mitogenic and invasive phenotype of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a very aggressive thyroid cancer. forkhead box protein M1 (FOXM1) is a member of the forkhead box family of transcription factors involved in control of cell proliferation, chromosomal stability, angiogenesis, and invasion. Here, we show that FOXM1 is significantly increased in ATCs compared with normal thyroid, well-differentiated thyroid carcinomas (papillary and/or follicular), and poorly differentiated thyroid carcinomas (P=0.000002). Upregulation of FOXM1 levels in ATC cells was mechanistically linked to loss-of-function of p53 and to the hyperactivation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/AKT/FOXO3a pathway. Knockdown of FOXM1 by RNA interference inhibited cell proliferation by arresting cells in G2/M and reduced cell invasion and motility. This phenotype was associated with decreased expression of FOXM1 target genes, like cyclin B1 (CCNB1), polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1), Aurora B (AURKB), S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (SKP2), and plasminogen activator, urokinase: uPA (PLAU). Pharmacological inhibition of FOXM1 in an orthotopic mouse model of ATC reduced tumor burden and metastasization. All together, these findings suggest that FOXM1 represents an important player in thyroid cancer progression to the anaplastic phenotype and a potential therapeutic target for this fatal cancer.
Characterization and structural localization of the reovirus λ3 protein

Summary The putative reovirus RNA polymerase, protein λ3, was characterized using antiserum prepared against a TrpE-λ3 fusion protein synthesized in Escherichia coli. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that λ3 accumulated in perinuclear inclusion bodies in reovirus-infected cells. Analysis of λ3 accumulation in infected cells indicates that, once synthesized, λ3 is quite stable throughout the course of infection. Anti-λ3 serum did not immunoprecipitate virions, core particles or iodinated surface proteins of either virions or cores. These results indicate that λ3 is located in the inner part of the core. Experiments involving urea denaturation of purified reovirus cores indicate that λ3 cannot be selectively removed from the core without total denaturation of the core structure. When the dsRNA genome was eliminated from the core, λ3 remained associated with the other viral proteins in the core. Thus, λ3 appears to be a stable, structural component of the reovirus core, not bound to genomic dsRNA or free in soluble form inside the core.
Comparative genomics of bacteria in the genus Providencia isolated from wild Drosophila melanogaster

Comparative genomics can be an initial step in finding the genetic basis for phenotypic differences among bacterial strains and species. Bacteria belonging to the genus Providencia have been isolated from numerous and varied environments. We sequenced, annotated and compared draft genomes of P. rettgeri, P. sneebia, P. alcalifaciens, and P. burhodogranariea. These bacterial species that were all originally isolated as infections of wild Drosophila melanogaster and have been previously shown to vary in virulence to experimentally infected flies. We found that these Providencia species share a large core genome, but also possess distinct sets of genes that are unique to each isolate. We compared the genomes of these isolates to draft genomes of four Providencia isolated from the human gut and found that the core genome size does not substantially change upon inclusion of the human isolates. We found many adhesion related genes among those genes that were unique to each genome. We also found that each isolate has at least one type 3 secretion system (T3SS), a known virulence factor, though not all identified T3SS belong to the same family nor are they in syntenic genomic locations. The Providencia species examined here are characterized by high degree of genomic similarity which will likely extend to other species and isolates within this genus. The presence of T3SS islands in all of the genomes reveal that their presence is not sufficient to indicate virulence towards D. melanogaster, since some of the T3SS-bearing isolates are known to cause little mortality. The variation in adhesion genes and the presence of T3SSs indicates that host cell adhesion is likely an important aspect of Providencia virulence.
Stock Market Valuation Using The P/E Ratio: A Hands-On Exercise

Finance professors and media frequently use the P/E ratio of the S&P 500 Index to gauge whether the aggregate stock market is correctly valued at a given point in time. This article presents an assignment that introduces students to the concept of stock market valuation via a hands-on exercise. In particular, it requires students to use an EXCEL template to calculate various versions of the P/E ratio (trailing, forward, operating, and Shiller’s), gauge whether the stock market is correctly valued, undervalued or overvalued, and then examine the sensitivity of these inferences to using different versions of this ratio. The entire exercise can be implemented using data available in the public domain.
Stimulation of Pod and Ovule Growth of Soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr. by 6-Benzylaminopurine

Abstract Flowers at distal nodes on soybean racemes usually fail to set pods and subsequently abscise. Physiological and histological studies were performed to determine the influence of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) on distal pod development. The pedicels of fully opened flowers on terminal racemes of field-grown IX93-100 soybean plants were treated three times with 200 mg kg-1 BAP in lanolin over a 6-d period. Racemes were then excised and 32P uptake was recorded for each flower position within a raceme; histological features of pedicels and ovules also were determined. Application of BAP increased pod and ovule length, width and weight at all four distal nodes (D, D-1, D-2, D-3) relative to controls treated with lanolin. Length and width of parietal endosperm cells were smaller in BAP-treated ovules at the most proximal node being studied (D-3), and greater numbers of parietal endosperm cells were observed at D-1 and D-3 nodes when compared to lanolin controls. Smaller amounts of starch were found in suspensor cells, endosperm, and integuments of lanolin-treated ovules, and starch depletion over time was observed within starch sheaths of pedicels from lanolin-treated pods when compared to BAP-treated tissues. BAP-treated racemes had more 32P uptake at the four most distal nodes. A higher rate of uptake (cpm mg-1 f. wt) was evident in ovules than in ovary tissues. These results suggest that for racemes otherwise destined to abscise, application of BAP promotes pod set and growth by stimulating ovule development.
Dietary Sodium: Where Science and Policy Diverge.

In 2013, an Institute of Medicine (IOM) Committee, after reviewing available evidence, reached conclusions that differed importantly from conventional belief.1 They reported that while harm exists with “excessive” sodium intakes, the term was specifically left undefined. In addition, they concluded, “evidence was insufficient to support (or refute) previous recommendations for population-based efforts to achieve sodium intake levels of less than 2.3 g/day in the general population or most population subgroups.” While recognizing that blood pressure was a strong surrogate for cardiovascular events, IOM nevertheless concluded that the health effect of of dietary sodium should be determined through assessment of evidence directly linking sodium intake to actual health outcomes—and not through intermediate variables such as blood pressure. Since the IOM report, several additional publications linking dietary sodium to health outcomes have confirmed, clarified, and extended its conclusions.2–6 While observational studies can determine associations, they do not establish causality, and can not generally be a basis for therapeutic intervention. The purpose of this review is to critically assess these recent reports in the context of already available evidence, as well as the IOM report, and to suggest policy options consistent with the evidence. Post IoM studIes
Critical Care of Acute Ischemic Stroke

Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability in the United States. This article summarizes the critical care of acute ischemic stroke, including conventional and novel therapies. The article provided an overview of the initial management, diagnostic workup, treatment options, and supportive measures that need to be considered in the acute phase of ischemic stroke.
Query-by-critique: spoken language access to large lists

Spoken language interfaces provide highly mobile, small form-factor, hands-free, eyes-free interaction with information. Uniform access to large lists of information using spoken interfaces is highly desirable, but problematic due to inherent limitations of speech. A speech widget for lists of attributed objects is described that provides for approximate queries to retrieve desired items. User tests demonstrate that this is an effective technique for accessing information using speech.
A clinical pathway for inguinal hernia repair reduces hospital admissions

Background. Clinical pathways have been advocated as a means to improve and standardize patient care while reducing costs through improved efficiency. This study examines the hypothesis that development of a clinical pathway reduces hospital admissions in a Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center. Materials and methods. For the year prior to June 1997, 168 elective inguinal herniorrhaphies were performed. This constituted the prepathway (pre-P) group. One hundred ninety-six elective inguinal herniorrhaphies were performed during the year following institution of the clinical pathway—the postpathway (post-P) group. Results. Hospital admissions were compared between the two groups. In the pre-P group 61 of the 168 patients (36%) were admitted while 29 of the 196 patients (15%) in the post-P group were admitted (P < 0.001). In the pre-P group 27 of the 53 patients reviewed (51%) had either no justification or inadequate justification for admission. In the post-P group 8 of the 29 patients admitted (28%) had inadequate justification (pre-P vs post-P, P = 0.124). Common reasons for admission included pain, perioperative complications, and concurrent medical problems or surgical procedures. The most common single cause other than pain was urinary retention. The average age of patients requiring admission was greater both pre-P and post-P. Conclusions. We conclude that institution of a clinical pathway for inguinal herniorrhaphy decreased hospital admissions. The reasons for this decrease are probably multifactorial and include improvements in physician and staff awareness. The decrease in unnecessary admissions should result in more efficient use of hospital resources.
Inflammatory and structural changes in the opossum esophagus after resection of the cardia

Abstract Gastroesophageal reflux and esophageal inflammation can be readily produced experimentally, but to date no animal model with basal cell hyperplasia and papillary prominence of the esophageal mucosa has been described. We resected the cardia of 8 opossums and performed serial endoscopic and histologic examinations of their esophageal mucosa. When compared with the esophageal mucosa of 5 unoperated opossums, abnormalities of the esophageal mucosa were common at all times after resection of the cardia. Epithelial destruction and inflammatory lesions were frequent in the first 2 mo, while regenerative and structural changes became prominent after the sixth month. The terms acute and chronic esophagitis were chosen to describe these two different abnormalities. Acute esophagitis was readily recognized on endoscopic inspection and edema, vascular congestion, and granulocytic infiltration were prominent on histologic examination. The term chronic esophagitis was applied once hyperplasia of the basal cells had increased the height of the epithelium and of the papillae and decreased the width of the papillae. When these structural changes were accompanied by vascular congestion and cellular infiltrates, this was called chronic esophagitis complicated by acute esophagitis. An intermediate lesion (subacute esophagitis) characterized by normal epithelial height, prominent papillae of normal width and few inflammatory changes was sometimes seen instead of acute esophagitis, but more often after acute esophagitis had subsided and before chronic esophagitis had developed. Basal cell hyperplasia occurred in all stages of esophagitis but was most marked in chronic esophagitis. The ratios of both the basal cell and the papillary to epithelial height were also increased over control values in all stages of esophagitis and did not correlate well with the presumed length of esophageal injury.
Review: Félix Candela 1910–2010

Felix Candela 1910–2010 Institut Valencia d’Art Modern, Valencia, Spain 21 October 2010–2 January 2011 Museo Extremeno e Iberoamericano de Arte Contemporaneo, Badajoz, Spain 17 March–14 August 2011 Museo de Arte Moderno, Mexico City 22 September 2011–15 January 2012 Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery, Columbia University 11 February–31 March 2012 The exhibition of the work of the Spanish-Mexican architect-engineer Felix Candela, known for his thin-shell concrete structures, resonates with global contemporary architecture culture. For example, Candela’s parabolic forms bear a family resemblance to the work of a fellow Spaniard, Santiago Calatrava. As is the case with Calatrava’s work, images of Candela’s structures were widely circulated in the architectural press at the time. This exhibition reveals that there were, in fact, many differences. While today’s spectacular forms result from sophisticated computer modeling and fabrication, Candela’s thin-concrete shells were often based on on-site experimentation and crude construction methods. Although Candela enjoyed an international career and even stardom, his career is deeply rooted in the culture of his adopted homeland of Mexico of the 1950s. Organized and circulated by Accion Cultural Espanola with the collaboration of the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), the exhibition Felix Candela 1910–2010 was originally presented in 2010 at the Institut Valencia d’Art Modern on the occasion of the centenary celebrations of Candela’s birth. From there it traveled to the Museo Extremeno e Iberoamericano de Arte Contemporaneo in Badajoz, Spain, the Museo de Arte Moderno of Mexico City, and finally to the Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery at Columbia University in spring 2012, thus following the route taken by of one of the greatest architect-engineers of the twentieth century from his native Spain to Mexico and subsequently to the United States. In a similar reflection on Candela’s international life and career, Juan Ignacio del Cueto Ruiz-Funes, the professor at UNAM who curated the show, drew on archival resources on two continents. The exhibition included work drawn from the collections of the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library at Columbia University, the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Princeton University, and the Archives of Mexican Architects …
Are All Outside Directors Independent? An Investigation of the Compliant Director Market

Most research in accounting and finance suggests that outside directors who obtain multiple board memberships do so by cultivating a reputation as vigilant directors who are both able and committed to ratifying and monitoring management decisions. We investigate an alternative perspective that there exists a market for compliant directors who obtain multiple directorships by associating with managers who desire directors who are less committed to external monitoring. We divide outside directors, who are members of the audit committee, into vigilant and compliant directors on the basis of relatively high (low) audit fees paid to the external auditor. We find that, for compliant (versus vigilant) outside directors, each additional audit committee membership is associated with higher levels of income-increasing earnings management. We also find that the level of earnings management associated with each additional audit committee membership for compliant directors is positively related to managers’ incentives to manage earnings. These findings highlight the need for future corporate governance research to explicitly consider the fact that outside directors and managers associate by mutual choice, and it is not always in outside directors’ interest to act as vigilant monitors of managers.
Endosymbionts of Killer Paramecia

Killer paramecia were first reported by T.M. Sonneborn (1938). Subsequently, he determined that the genetic determinants for the killer trait were located in the cytoplasm and concluded that they were cytoplasmic genes which he referred to as “plasmagenes” (Sonneborn 1943). However, studies conducted by Preer and others demonstrated that Paramecium killer traits were actually determined by bacterial endosymbionts residing in the cytoplasms of killer paramecia (Preer et al. 1974). Several excellent reviews on the bacterial endosymbionts of paramecia have been published (Gibson 1974; Preer et al. 1974; Soldo 1974). The purpose of this chapter is to provide an update to those reviews with respect to the endosymbionts of killer paramecia.
Prospective evaluation of the ability of clinical scoring systems and physician-determined likelihood of appendicitis to obviate the need for CT

Objective To determine whether clinical scoring systems or physician gestalt can obviate the need for computed tomography (CT) in patients with possible appendicitis. Methods Prospective, observational study of patients with abdominal pain at an academic emergency department (ED) from February 2012 to February 2014. Patients over 11 years old who had a CT ordered for possible appendicitis were eligible. All parameters needed to calculate the scores were recorded on standardised forms prior to CT. Physicians also estimated the likelihood of appendicitis. Test characteristics were calculated using clinical follow-up as the reference standard. Receiver operating characteristic curves were drawn. Results Of the 287 patients (mean age (range), 31 (12–88) years; 60% women), the prevalence of appendicitis was 33%. The Alvarado score had a positive likelihood ratio (LR(+)) (95% CI) of 2.2 (1.7 to 3) and a negative likelihood ratio (LR(−)) of 0.6 (0.4 to 0.7). The modified Alvarado score (MAS) had LR(+) 2.4 (1.6 to 3.4) and LR(−) 0.7 (0.6 to 0.8). The Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Appendicitis (RIPASA) score had LR(+) 1.3 (1.1 to 1.5) and LR(−) 0.5 (0.4 to 0.8). Physician-determined likelihood of appendicitis had LR(+) 1.3 (1.2 to 1.5) and LR(−) 0.3 (0.2 to 0.6). When combined with physician likelihoods, LR(+) and LR(−) was 3.67 and 0.48 (Alvarado), 2.33 and 0.45 (RIPASA), and 3.87 and 0.47 (MAS). The area under the curve was highest for physician-determined likelihood (0.72), but was not statistically significantly different from the clinical scores (RIPASA 0.67, Alvarado 0.72, MAS 0.7). Conclusions Clinical scoring systems performed equally well as physician gestalt in predicting appendicitis. These scores do not obviate the need for imaging for possible appendicitis when a physician deems it necessary.
Gapes of sexually dimorphic blackbird nestlings do not show sexually dimorphic growth

Within broods of many altricial birds, one or more nestlings is often predictably smaller than the rest. This occurs both because of hatching asynchrony within broods and also because one sex rapidly becomes larger than the other in sexually dimorphic species. If parents rely on competitive, size-based cues from nestlings in deciding which to feed, this size asymmetry presents a major predictable problem to younger or smaller nestlings. A recent study of sexually dimorphic Yellow-headed Blackbirds (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) suggested that the gape, a prominent feature of the begging signal of hungry young, may grow more rapidly in female nestlings than males. In this paper, I report similar data on nestling gape growth in another sexually dimorphic species, the Red-winged Blackbird (Age- laius phoeniceus), and show that the apparent relatively faster gape growth of females in both Yellow-headed and Red-winged blackbirds is an artifact of the analytical method used in the comparison. Gapes of males and females grow in exactly the same relation to their mass and, to the extent that the mass of females is less at a given age, females will have smaller gapes. I further analyze gape growth in a group of undernourished nestling Red-winged Blackbirds to evaluate the related prediction that, when resources for growth are limited, nestlings should conserve the growth of those morphological characteristics such as gapes that directly influence feeding. The data yield little support for this hypothesis. The specialized and prominent nestling gapes, however, may have important functions beyond feeding com-
Introduction to Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing

Abstract Introduction This resource serves as a primer on cardiopulmonary exercise testing and is intended for first-year fellows in pulmonary and critical care medicine, and senior internal medici...
Evaluation of respiratory mutants for selecting compounds for cancer chemotherapy study.

SummaryRespiratory deficient mutants of yeast, obtained by incorporating acriflavine into the growth medium, as well as S. aureus “mutants” obtained from ATCC were used for testing cancer chemotherapeutic agents. Although there is a feasible theory that supports the use of a respiratory mutant with a change in the mode of utilization of glucose, the procedure described appears to be of limited value. Examination of the S. aureus mutants (ATCC #13680-13681) from Cause lead to doubt of their authenticity.
A Review of “Michael Haneke”: by Peter Brunette. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2010

Although Michael Haneke has been making feature-films for over 20 years, and worked extensively in television for 15 years before that, critical scholarship in English on the director has been slow...
Health and social factors associated with alternate routes of administration of prescription opioids among young adult multidrug users

Aims: To examine health and social factors associated with alternate routes of administration (ARA) among young adult multidrug users in Miami. Methods: Data are drawn from participants reporting recent (past 90 days) Rx opioid misuse (N=335) during baseline assessments in an ongoing behavioral intervention trial. Eligible participantswere18–39and reported recent and regularuseof club drugs (cocaine, ecstasy, LSD,GHB, ketamine, ormethamphetamine) and misuse of Rx drugs. Results: Participants identified asWhite (N=43), Black (N=56), Hispanic (N=225), and other (N=11). Mean age is 25 and 44% are female. Over 37% (N=126) reported ARA (injection, snorting, crushing, rectal/vaginal, smoking, parachuting). Compared to those who did not, participants reporting ARA were more likely to be White (p= .001), and to report severe mental distress (p< .000) and prior substanceabuse treatment (p= .003).ARAwasassociatedwith participation in unprotected group sex (p= .031) as well as with social factors including lower satisfactionwith family and living situations (p< .017) and more racially/ethnically diverse friendships (p= .001). Conclusions: ARA is associatedwithmanyhealth and social factors includingmental distress, dissatisfactionwith family and living situation, and having diverse social and sexual networks. Social diversity may extend drug use practices to new groups, and sexual diversity, especially group sex, can facilitate HIV transmission across populations. Drug users who share injection equipment are at risk for infection/transmissionof bothHIVandHCV. Public health implications and needs for targeted intervention will be discussed. Financial support: This research was supported by Grant DA019048 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute on Drug Abuse or the National Institutes of Health.
122 INTRAUTERINE GROWTH RESTRICTION AFFECTS INSULIN GROWTH FACTOR BINDING PROTEIN 3 BUT NOT INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR 1 RECEPTOR EXPRESSION IN THE DEVELOPING RAT LUNG.

Background Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) predisposes neonates toward chronic lung changes characterized by mesenchymal thickening. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) plays a crucial role in normal lung growth and development. Key modulators of IGF-1 activity include IGFBP-3 and IGF-1r. Previous studies have shown that IGFBP-3 binds IGF-1 and decreases its activity. In addition, evidence suggests that IGFBP-3 may exhibit growth inhibitory effects independent of its ability to down-regulate IGF-1 activity. Specifically, IGFBP-3 has been shown to inhibit the growth of fibroblasts derived from IGF-1r knockout mice. IGF-1r is a tyrosine kinase receptor that mediates the effects of IGF-1. Objective We hypothesized that IUGR would decrease IGFBP-3 expression in the developing rat lung and thereby contribute to increased IGF-1 activity and mesenchymal thickening. Furthermore, we hypothesized that these changes would be independent of IGF-1r expression. Design/Methods To prove these hypotheses, we used a rat model of IUGR induced through uteroplacental insufficiency. Lungs of control and IUGR rats ( n = 6-8 litters per group) at day 0 and day 21 were harvested and flash frozen. We measured relative mRNA levels of IGFBP-3 and IGF-1r with RT-PCR at day 0 and day 21. We also measured IGFBP-3 protein levels in day 0 rats. Results Significant results are expressed as percent of control ± SEM. IGF-1r mRNA levels were not different between IUGR and control rat lungs at either day 0 ( p = .66) or day 21 ( p = .32). While IGFBP-3 mRNA and protein levels did not differ at day 0 ( p = .81 and .90, respectively), mRNA levels differed significantly by day 21 (40.1% ± 7.0%, p = .05). Conclusions We conclude that IUGR decreases IGFBP-3 mRNA levels in the postnatal rat lung. IGF-1r expression is unaffected by IUGR. These results are particularly intriguing because although IUGR leads to mesenchymal thickening in the day 21 rat lung, we have previously demonstrated that IGF-1 mRNA expression in the postnatal IUGR rat lung is unchanged. We speculate that decreased IGFBP-3 during alveolarization results in increased IGF-1 bioavailability, which contributes to the mesenchymal thickening seen in the postnatal IUGR rat lung. This may be secondary to IUGR-induced imprinting on the IGFBP-3 gene that subsequently decreases its expression. Supported by the CHRC.
Penile Vein Ligation for Corporeal Incompetence: An Evaluation of Short-Term and Long-Term Results

AbstractDynamic cavernosometry and cavernosography can be used to identify patients with corporeal venous incompetence as a cause of erectile dysfunction. We reviewed our series of 16 patients with venous leakage who underwent surgical correction of the specific abnormality identified on cavernosography. Short-term and long-term results were obtained, and while at least temporary improvement was noted in 89.5% of the patients the long-term results tended to show a reversion to the preoperative status in the majority.
Acid—Base Titration Curves

The familiar curves of pH versus volume of titrant added are displayed and discussed in many texts. Here we shall examine only a few mathematical aspects which follow from our previous treatment and which bear upon the reliability of the end point determination.
Psychosocial Characteristics of Bariatric Surgery Candidates

This chapter discusses the psychosocial characteristics of individuals who present for bariatric surgery. Psychosocial distress is common among those with extreme obesity and likely plays a significant role in the decision to undergo surgery as well as expectations of postoperative outcomes. A comprehensive discussion of the personality characteristics influenced by extreme obesity is exhaustive; here we focus on presenting a broad summary of some of the most relevant preoperative issues. The related literature on quality of life, body image, and sexual behavior is reviewed in Chap. 3. While we briefly discuss symptoms of depression, anxiety, and disordered eating, a more complete discussion of these clinical conditions appears in Chaps. 2 and 3. The assessment of these personality characteristics and formal diagnoses is an important part of the preoperative assessment of bariatric surgery candidates. The preoperative mental health assessment is described in detail in Chap. 5. The present chapter concludes with a discussion of the relationship between preoperative personality characteristics and related life experience and postoperative outcomes.
RESEARCH FOCUS: Changes in productivity and oxygenation during the Permian-Triassic transition

The causes of the transition from an Early Permian cold house into an Early Triassic hothouse world have been of great interest, because this time encompasses the greatest extinction of species in Earth’s history. Common hypotheses for the causes of this transition include the massive volcanic