cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of factors predictive of success or complications in arteriovenous malformation radiosurgery.

Objective This study was undertaken to determine which factors were statistically predictive of radiological and clinical outcomes in the radiosurgical treatment of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Methods The computerized dosimetric and clinical data for 269 patients were reviewed. The AVM nidus was hand-contoured on successive enhanced computed tomographic slices through the nidus, to allow detailed determinations of nidus volume, target miss, normal brain tissue treated, dose conformality, and dose gradient. In addition, a number of patient and treatment factors, including Spetzler-Martin grade, presenting symptoms, dose, number of isocenters, radiological outcome, and clinical outcome, were subjected to multivariate analysis. Results Two hundred twenty-five patients were treated with radiosurgery for the first time, and 44 patients underwent radiosurgical retreatment. One hundred forty-three patients had AVMs located in or near "eloquent" brain areas and 126 patients did not. Seventy patients demonstrated preoperative neurological findings related to the AVM and 199 did not. Twenty-six patients had previously undergone endovascular treatment and 10 patients had previously undergone surgical treatment of their AVMs. Of the 269 patients studied, 228 experienced no complication, 10 (3.7%) experienced a transient radiation-induced complication, 3 (1%) experienced a permanent radiation-induced complication, and 28 (10%) experienced posttreatment hemorrhage. Conclusion None of the analyzed factors was predictive of hemorrhage after radiosurgery in this study. The 12-Gy volume was predictive of permanent radiation-induced complications. Eloquent AVM location and 12-Gy volume were correlated with the occurrence of transient radiation-induced complications. Better conformality was correlated with a reduced incidence of transient complications. Lower Spetzler-Martin grades, higher doses, and steeper dose gradients were correlated with radiological success.
Immunochemical studies on the putative plasmalemmal receptor for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. III. Vitamin D status

Abstract The effect of vitamin D status on levels of the putative 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 membrane receptor (pmVDR) was studied in chick intestine, kidney, and brain. Western analyses and assays for specific [ 3 H]1,25(OH) 2 D 3 binding indicated that, in intestine, pmVDR levels were greatest in −D chicks relative to +1,25D and +D animals ( P +1,25D, −D. In brain, vitamin D status did not affect protein levels or specific binding levels. In tissue from normal chicks, both protein and specific binding followed the order of intestine > kidney > brain membranes. Intestinal cells were further evaluated for the effect of 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 on selected “rapid responses.” Extrusion of 45 Ca in response to 130 pM 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 in vitro was greater in cells from −D chicks than from +1,25D or normal birds. Analyses of signal transduction events revealed diminished hormone-induced intracellular calcium oscillations (as assessed by fura-2 fluorescence), and lack of steroid-enhanced protein kinase (PK) A activity in intestinal epithelial cells from −D chicks relative to +D chicks. PK C activation by 130 pM 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 was approximately twofold in cells from +D or −D chicks. The combined results indicate that vitamin D status differentially affects the pmVDR in intestine, kidney, and brain. In intestine, vitamin D deficiency differentially affects 45 Ca handling, intracellular calcium oscillations, PK A and PK C activities in response to 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 .
Insertion of in-frame sequence tags into proteins using transposons.

Several methods based on the use of transposons allow the efficient generation of relatively short (e.g., <35 residues) in-frame insertions in proteins. The analysis of such insertions has provided a simple means to identify sites that tolerate dramatic sequence changes without loss of function ("permissive" sites) and to dissect protein structure-function relationships. In addition, epitope and protease cleavage site "tags" introduced in such insertions have made it possible to analyze the oligomerization state and transmembrane topologies of several proteins. Finally, the DNA inserted by these methods generally carries restriction sites which may facilitate the construction of in-frame deletions and gene fusions encoding a variety of chimeric proteins.
Central neural influences on the human retina during selective attention

Two controversial issues were investigated. One concerned the question of whether centrifugal fibers project to the human retina, and the other, the question of whether precortical filters which differentially transmit relevant and irrelevant information during selective attention exist. The issues were addressed jointly by studying the effects of selective attention on evoked responses obtained from the retina and over the occipital cortex. Selective attention was manipulated by requiring subjects to respond to stimuli presented at various locations in the visual field while attempting to ignore stimuli presented at other locations. Retinal responses to stimuli presented at attended to locations were found to be larger than those at unattended to locations. A similar result was obtained for responses recorded over the occipital cortex. The results are interpreted as follows: (1) They support the hypothesis that sustained voluntary attention to specific locations in space is mediated, at least partly, by centrally controlled centrifugal pathways which differentially modify synaptic transmission at a precortical level; (2) such differential alteration can occur as far peripherally as the retina; and (3) such alteration at the retinal level necessarily requires the existence of centrifugal optic nerve fibers. The results are discussed within the context of existing evidence bearing on the issues.
On the method of finite spheres in applications: Towards the use with ADINA and in a surgical simulator

In this paper we report some recent advances regarding applications using the method of finite spheres; a truly meshfree numerical technique developed for the solution of boundary value problems on geometrically complex domains. First, we present the development of a preprocessor for the generation of nodal points on two-dimensional computational domains. Then, the development of a specialized version of the method of finite spheres using point collocation and moving least squares approximation functions and singular weight functions is reported for rapid computations in virtual environments involving multi-sensory (visual and touch) interactions.
Differential localization of type I and type II benzodiazepine binding sites in substantia nigra

A number of studies have suggested the existence of multiple benzodiazepine binding sites in the brain1–20. We have recently reported the physical separation of two apparent benzodiazepine binding site subtypes21, the pharmacological properties, and distribution in tissue sections of which correspond to the putative type I and type II sites20,22. Benzodiazepine and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors have been shown to interact23, and lesions of the GABAergic striatonigral pathway, which lead to GABA supersensitivity24,25, both increase the numbers of GABA binding sites24,26 and enhance GABA-stimulated benzodiazepine binding27. We demonstrate here that degeneration of striatonigral fibres increases the density of putative type I benzodiazepine binding sites in the substantia nigra and decreases the density of the putative type II sites. This suggests that type I sites that increase after denervation are postsynaptic, whereas the type II sites reduced by the lesion may be localized to axons or terminals of the striatonigral pathways.
Higher grades = higher evaluations: impression management of students

This study investigates the effects on end‐of‐the semester evaluations of the instructor resulting from grade inflation by the administration of a different number of mid‐semester tests to four different classes of the first course of accounting. Students in two classes received six mid‐semester examinations, while the other two classes received three. All classes were given a cumulative final examination. Giving six examinations rather than three allows a student to memorize less of the course material before each examination, resulting in higher overall grades. Analysis of the data revealed that students receiving six mid‐semester examinations scored higher than those receiving three. These differences were statistically significant at the 0.1 level. Students’ end‐of‐the semester evaluations of the fairness of grading, quality of the instructor and the quality of the course were consistently more positive in the class that received six mid‐semester examinations. Higher grades did result in higher evalua...
Conformational Analysis of 2-Methylhexane and 3-Methylhexane

Abstract Infrared spectra were obtained for 2-methylhexane and 3-methylhexane, and were interpreted with the aid of normal coordinate calculations. It was shown that 2-methylhexane exists in three conformations. Evidence for the presence of three conformations of 3-methylhexane is presented, but a fourth conformer probably exists. Transferred force constant values resulted in an overall average difference between observed and calculated wavenumbers of 4.3 cm−1, or 0.5%, for seven conformers of these two compounds.
A new polyvinyltoluene-based, radiation-resistant plastic scintillator

Abstract A plastic scintillator, doped with p-terphenyl and 3-hydroxyflavone fluors in a polyvinyltoluene base, and heated in an argon atmosphere to accelerate recovery, has significant radiation resistance.
The Activation of Embedded Words in Spoken Word Recognition.

How do listeners understand English words that have shorter words in them? We tested six types of embedded words, varying their positions in carrier words and their proportions of carrier words. In auditory-auditory priming experiments, isolated embedded words (e.g., ham) primed their targets under optimal conditions, when they were compressed/expanded, and under cognitive load. Within carrier words (e.g., hamster) presented under optimal conditions, the same set of embedded words produced priming only when they were at the beginning of, or comprised a large proportion of the carrier words. No priming was found when the carrier words were compressed/expanded, were presented with one segment replaced by noise, or under cognitive load. The results suggest that both embedded position and proportion play important roles in embedded word activation, but that such activation only occurs under unusually good conditions.
The makings of a modern epidemic: Endometriosis, gender, and politics.

Kate Seear's The Makings of a Modern Epidemic offers readers an in-depth critical examination of a modern illness from the perspective of the medical profession and the community of women who suffe...
Use of SERMs for the Adjuvant Therapy of Early‐Stage Breast Cancer

Tamoxifen was the first in a class of drugs now commonly referred to as selective estrogen receptor modulators or SERMs. SERMs exhibit tissue-specific estrogenic agonist/antagonist activity through their ability to bind to the estrogen receptor alpha (ER) protein and interact with coregulatory proteins, thereby modulating transcription of estrogen target genes. Since its first approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1977, tamoxifen has been found to (a) lower the risk of recurrence and death for women with early-stage hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, irrespective of menopausal and node status or use of adjuvant chemotherapy; (b) reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer following breast conservation in women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS); and (c) reduce the risk of breast cancer in high-risk women. Toremifene is the only other SERM approved by the FDA for breast cancer treatment. However, it offers no clear clinical advantage over tamoxifen in the adjuvant or metastatic settings. Several other SERMs are in various phases of clinical development. In addition, strategies to combine SERMs with other endocrine therapy like ovarian suppression or aromatase inhibitors are active areas of investigations. At present, SERMs are recognized as the first targeted and relatively nontoxic medical therapy for women with high-risk or steroid hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.
Intraocular and Cardiopulmonary Effects of Low-dose Mannitol in the Dog

Fatal complications have been reported during anesthesia in dogs that received a standard (1–2 g/kg IV) dose of mannitol during intraocular surgery. A lower dose (0.25 g/kg IV), which had been shown to reduce intracranial pressure in humans, was evaluated during halothane anesthesia in dogs. There were no significant changes in intraocular pressure (IOP) or cardiovascular variables. This lower dose (0.25 g/kg IV) did not reduce IOP and would not be of benefit in dogs undergoing intraocular surgery.
Gamma-ray bursts at VERITAS energies

Abstract Many of the recent contributions to the field of γ-ray bursts (GRBs) have come from the discovery and observations of counterparts at wavelengths other than those traditionally associated with GRBs. Searches for VHE counterparts suffer two problems: slew time and, more severely, large GRB location error boxes. VERITAS provides a chance to overcome or compensate for these obstacles with fast slew times, large sky coverage, and a low energy threshold.
Integrating multiple parallel programming paradigms in a dataflow‐based software environment

By viewing different parallel programming paradigms as essentially heterogeneous approaches in mapping ‘real-world’ problems to parallel systems, the authors discuss methodologies in integrating multiple programming models on a massively parallel system such as Connection Machine CM5. Using a dataflow based integration model built in a visualization software AVS, the authors describe a simple, effective and modular way to couple sequential, data-parallel and explicit message-passing modules into an integrated parallel programming environment on a CM5. A case study in the area of numerical advection modeling is given to demonstrate the integration of data-parallel and message-passing modules in the proposed multi-paradigm programming environment.
Studying the relationship between affective and metacognitive variables

The impact of affect on cognition is discussed. A procedure is described for the assessment of metacognitive knowledge monitoring that can be used for research on the impact of affect on cognition. The procedure may be group administered, is scored objectively, and relics minimally on self-reports. As an example of research linking affective and cognitive variables, the article describes use of the procedure in six studies dealing with the effects of anxiety and interest on metacognitive processes. Suggestions for further research on anxiety and interest using the metacognitive knowledge monitoring procedure are offered, as are some general recommendations for studies relating motivational and other processes to metacognition.
Effect of zinc, copper, and calcium on the structure and stability of serum amyloid A.

Serum amyloid A (SAA) is a highly conserved acute phase reactant protein, and its concentration in serum can increase up to ∼1000 times after an inflammatory stimuli. SAA is mainly associated with high-density lipoproteins in serum, and its main function appears to involve cholesterol transport and lipid metabolism. However, SAA has also been associated with many other functions and a number of diseases, although these potential links remain poorly understood. The three-dimensional structure of SAA is not known, but we have shown that murine SAA2.2 can exist in solution as a marginally stable hexamer, which at 37 °C dissociates to a monomeric species that misfolds irreversibly and self-assembles into amyloid fibrils. Thus, the structure and function of SAA in vivo appear to be modulated when it binds to other proteins or small ligands. Herein, the effect of copper (Cu2+), zinc (Zn2+), and calcium (Ca2+) on the structure and stability of SAA2.2 in aqueous solution was examined using various probes of quate...
The Influence of Education Context and Beliefs on the Teaching Behavior of African American Mothers

The goal of this study is to examine the influence of maternal education level, context, and maternal beliefs on the teaching behaviors of African American mothers. In addition, the relationship between maternal teaching and children’s mastery of the information is explored. Fifty-one African American mothers were observed teaching their 4-year-old preschool children three memory tasks and were administered a three-part questionnaire to determine their metamemory beliefs, their assessment of their children’s memory competence, and the amount of time they engaged in memory activities with their children. The results of the MANOVA applied to the data reveal that maternal teaching varied significantly according to education level and context. Several of the maternal strategies are predictive of the preschoolers’mastery of the information as well. Explanation of the findings and directions for future research are discussed.
Critical crater diameter and asteroid impact seismology

If impact stress reverberation is the primary gradational process on an asteroid at global scales, then the largest undegraded crater records an asteroid's seismological response. The critical crater diameter Dcrit is defined as the smallest crater whose formation disrupts all previous craters globally up to its size; it is solved for by combining relationships for crater growth and for stress attenuation. The computation for Dcrit gives a simple explanation for the curious observation that small asteroids have only modest undegraded craters, in comparison to their size, whereas large asteroids have giant undegraded craters. Dcrit can even exceed the asteroid diameter, in which case all craters are "local" and the asteroid becomes crowded with giant craters. Dcrit is the most recent crater to have formed on a blank slate; when it is equated to the measured diameter of the largest undegraded crater on known asteroids, peak particle velocities are found to attenuate with the 1.2-1.3 power of distance—less attenuative than strong shocks, and more characteristic of powerful seismic disturbances. This is to be expected, since global degradation can result from seismic (cm s -1 ) particle velocities on small asteroids. Attenuation, as modeled, appears to be higher on asteroids known to be porous, although these are also bodies for which different crater scaling rules might apply.
Piloted methane/air jet flames: Transport effects and aspects of scalar structure

Previously unpublished results from multiscalar point measurements in the series of piloted CH{sub 4}/air jet flames [R.S. Barlow, J.H. Frank, Proc. Combust. Inst. 27 (1998) 1087-1095] are presented and analyzed. The emphasis is on features of the data that reveal the relative importance of molecular diffusion and turbulent transport in these flames. The complete series A-F is considered. This includes laminar, transitional, and turbulent flames spanning a range in Reynolds number from 1100 to 44,800. Results on conditional means of species mass fractions, the differential diffusion parameter, and the state of the water-gas shift reaction all show that there is an evolution in these flames from a scalar structure dominated by molecular diffusion to one dominated by turbulent transport. Long records of 6000 single-point samples at each of several selected locations in flame D are used to quantify the cross-stream (radial) dependence of conditional statistics of measured scalars. The cross-stream dependence of the conditional scalar dissipation is determined from 6000-shot, line-imaging measurements at selected locations. The cross-stream dependence of reactive scalars, which is most significant in the near field of the jet flame, is attributed to radial differences in both convective and local time scales of the flow. Results illustratemore » some potential limitations of common modeling assumptions when applied to laboratory-scale flames and, thus, provide a more complete context for interpretation of comparisons between experiments and model calculations.« less
Simulated parallel annealing within a neighborhood for optimization of biomechanical systems

Optimization problems for biomechanical systems have become extremely complex. Simulated annealing (SA) algorithms have performed well in a variety of test problems and biomechanical applications; however, despite advances in computer speed, convergence to optimal solutions for systems of even moderate complexity has remained prohibitive. The objective of this study was to develop a portable parallel version of a SA algorithm for solving optimization problems in biomechanics. The algorithm for simulated parallel annealing within a neighborhood (SPAN) was designed to minimize interprocessor communication time and closely retain the heuristics of the serial SA algorithm. The computational speed of the SPAN algorithm scaled linearly with the number of processors on different computer platforms for a simple quadratic test problem and for a more complex forward dynamic simulation of human pedaling.
Development of Auditory-Visual Integration and Reading Achievement:

The interrelationships among auditory-visual integrative competence, IQ, and type of reading task were studied in 350 elementary school age boys from Grades 2 through 6. Visual and auditory discrim...
Prayer in the orthodox synagogue: An analysis of ritual display

variety of non-prayer-oriented involvements during the course of the prayer service, without ever calling into question the basic definition of their situ ation as being one of prayer. During the davening, as such services are normally called in the terminology of modem American Orthodoxy, far more than worship occurs. On even the most religiously solemn occasions the davening is marked by a series of shifting involvements and breaks in the action ("frame breaks"), periods during which the daveners move eas ily and often from the "official focus of attention" to others, often be coming fully engrossed in radically different sorts of involvements (Goffman, 1974: 345-77; Heilman, 1976: 129-49). They may, for exam ple, pray fervently at one moment, become engaged in a heated discussion about real estate at the next, find themselves caught up in the unravelling of a biblical text at another moment, lost in reverie later, singing in chorus, joking, gossiping, or collecting charity pledges at other times and so on. Throughout and despite the involvement shifting, all insiders, however, define their basic involvement in the setting as davening. That is what they claim to have come to do and, that is what they claim to be doing, regard less of whatever else may be going on simultaneously. Since prayer seems in principle to be a consuming involvement, drawing as it does on the individual's "yearning for the most intimate of all human communication, for the opportunity to open his heart and mind in adoration and supplication to the divine presence" (Milgram, 1971: 9), the idea that one can easily shift in and out of it without its becoming disturbed raises interactional and theological questions. Specifically, how is it possible for people to sustain this one definition of the situation while their activities suggest others? An answer requires a closer analysis of just what consti tutes davening in the contemporary Orthodox synagogue.
Precision-cut tissue chips as an in vitro toxicology system

Abstract Precision-cut tissue slices mimic specific organ toxicity because normal cellular heterogeneity and organ architecture are retained. To optimize the use of the smaller tissues of the mouse and to establish easy assays for tissue viability, a tissue chip based system was used to generate large numbers of samples from a single organ. Iodoacetamide (IAM) was used as a model toxicant and assays for intracellular potassium (normalized to DNA content) were used to establish viability and toxicant susceptibility. Thereafter, assays that were more rapid and specific were pursued. Lysates from tissues incubated in 6-carboxyfluorescein fluoresced proportionately to concentrations of IAM, indicating disruption of cellular membranes. Similarly, FURA-2, a probe applied to lysates to measure calcium levels, fluoresced proportionately to IAM dosage. Monobromobimane, a fluorescent sulfhydryl probe, displayed a decrease in fluorescent intensity at higher IAM challenge—a finding confirmed with an absorbance assay with Ellman’s reagent. Importantly, the number of samples per organ/mouse was increased at least threefold and a significant time reduction per analysis was realized.
Pedagogy and Practice: Service-Learning and Students' Moral Development.

Service-learning courses can be powerful instruments for cognitive, affective, and moral transformation. This chapter examines the strengths and weaknesses of service-learning as an agent for cognitive, moral, and interpersonal development and its ability to promote civic or social engagement.
IPad Apps’ Influence on Students’ Compliance

The emergence of technology has ameliorated various fields in education. Technological applications are being adopted by several schools to facilitate students’ learning. Teachers are using such products to pave the way for more effective teaching practices. In addition, these technological applications are utilized by parents to increase their children’s positive behaviors. IPad and its educational application programs are effective tools for increasing elementary students’ compliance with doing the reading homework. One of these applications is Book Creator in which individuals can create children’s interactive stories. These interactive stories make the reading homework an interesting assignment, and therefore students’ compliance with doing homework is likely increasing. This paper describes the importance of compliance with reading homework for students whose English is their second language. In addition, this paper discusses how interactive reading books promote compliance with homework completion. The study was conducted using a single subject withdrawal design.
Chinese Politics in the General Assembly

In this analysis of 344 selected votes in four major issue areas in the UN General Assembly between 1971 and 1977, the basic findings are that Chinese politics in the Assembly were based on complex, shifting mixes of ideological and national considerations and that China has for the most part succeeded in fulfilling its promise to support the developing nations and oppose old, big, and rich nations, at least within the context of the UN. Trong R. Chai is Associate Professor of Political Science at Medgar Evers College, City University of New York. Public Opinion Quarterly ? 1980 by The Trustees of Columbia University Published by Elsevier North Holland, Inc. 0033-362X/80/0044-023/$1.75 This content downloaded from 207.46.13.164 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 05:36:26 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
The initiation of ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation by procaine in the isolated-perfused rabbit heart.

An accelerating ventricular tachycardia ending in fibrillation can be initiated in isolated hearts by procaine injections after the administration of epinephrine, but not in untreated hearts. The run of tachycardia consists of a supraventricular or idioventricular impulse followed by an accelerating train of premature systoles coupled to it. Fibrillation results when the train reaches a frequency of 10 to 12 per second. In hearts with their bundles of His cut, epinephrine injections alone cause only a ventricular tachycardia of constant frequency. Therefore, the initiation of ventricular arrhythmias by procaine must entail the production of A-V blockade and some process which causes the tachycardia to accelerate.
A Dose-Response Study of Antibiotic Resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms

Bacterial biofilms show enormous levels of antibiotic resistance, but little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. Multidrug resistance pumps (MDRs) are responsible for the extrusion of chemically unrelated antimicrobials from the bacterial cell. Contribution of the MDR-mediated efflux to antibiotic resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms was examined by using strains overexpressing and lacking the MexAB-OprM pump. Resistance of P. aeruginosa biofilms to ofloxacin was dependent on the expression of MexAB-OprM but only in the low concentration range. Unexpectedly, biofilm resistance to ciprofloxacin, another substrate of MexAB-OprM, did not depend on the presence of this pump. Dose-dependent killing indicated the presence of a small "superresistant" cell fraction. This fraction was primarily responsible for very high resistance of P. aeruginosa biofilms to quinolones. Bacterial cells recovered from a biofilm and tested under nongrowing conditions with tobramycin exhibited higher resistance levels than planktonic cells but lower levels than cells of an intact biofilm.
Local Evolution of Pyrethroid Resistance Offsets Gene Flow among Aedes aegypti Collections in Yucatan State, Mexico

The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the major vector of the four serotypes of dengue virus (DENV1-4). Previous studies have shown that Ae. aegypti in Mexico have a high effective migration rate and that gene flow occurs among populations that are up to 150 km apart. Since 2000, pyrethroids have been widely used for suppression of Ae. aegypti in cities in Mexico. In Yucatan State in particular, pyrethroids have been applied in and around dengue case households creating an opportunity for local selection and evolution of resistance. Herein, we test for evidence of local adaptation by comparing patterns of variation among 27 Ae. aegypti collections at 13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): two in the voltage-gated sodium channel gene para known to confer knockdown resistance, three in detoxification genes previously associated with pyrethroid resistance, and eight in putatively neutral loci. The SNPs in para varied greatly in frequency among collections, whereas SNPs at the remaining 11 loci showed little variation supporting previous evidence for extensive local gene flow. Among Ae. aegypti in Yucatan State, Mexico, local adaptation to pyrethroids appears to offset the homogenizing effects of gene flow.
PP039. The importance of intentionally considering class 1 HELLP syndrome outcomes versus all other categories of HELLP syndrome or severe preeclampsia.

Introduction Combining HELLP syndrome patient groups in publications and presentations may obfuscate any potential differences among patient groups with regard to maternal–perinatal outcomes and rendered therapies. Objectives We explored the prevalence of major maternal morbidity (MMM) for patients with severe preeclampsia (SPRE) and each defined group of HELLP syndrome. Methods Retrospective cohort study 2000–2007 of patients categorized either as class 1 HELLP syndrome (HELLP1, platelets⩽50,000, AST⩽70,LDH⩽600), class 2 (HELLP2, platelets>50,000 to ⩽100,000), class 3 (HELLP3, platelets>100,000 to ⩽150,000), or partial/incomplete (HELLP4) with only 2 of 3 diagnostic parameters present. All SPRE patients (no HELLP) of 2005–2007 were also evaluated. Total MMM for each group was determined. MMM included cardiopulmonary [cardiogenic or noncardiogenic pulmonary edema, pleural or pericardial effusion, pulmonary embolus, indicated intubation, myocardial infarction or arrest], hematologic/coagulation [DIC, transfused blood products], central nervous system/visual [stroke, cerebral edema, hypertensive encephalopathy, vision loss], hepatic [subcapsular hematoma or rupture] or renal complications [acute tubular necrosis or renal failure]. All HELLP1 and HELLP2 patients received corticosteroids, magnesium sulfate and anti-hypertensives. Comparison among groups was done using Chi-square or Fisher exact test at 95% CI. Results Four hundred and twenty patients had a form of HELLP syndrome 2000–2007; 688 patients had SPRE 2005–2007.The prevalence of MMM for each patient group was determined: HELLP1=41.5%; HELLP2=10.3%; HELLP3=20.0%; HELLP4=21.0%; and SPRE=17.7%. MMM in HELLP1 was significantly increased over all other groups ( P p =0.19), thereby obscuring the significantly elevated MMM of HELLP1 patients. Conclusion Only patients with HELLP1 have significantly increased MMM compared to other HELLP groups or SPRE. Failing to separately evaluate patients with HELLP1 in studies of HELLP syndrome could lead to mistaken conclusions about the effectiveness of a treatment to reduce MMM. All publications reviewing HELLP syndrome management should address how well it functions to reduce patient development of HELLP1 and thus minimize MMM.
A database of human segmented natural images and its application to evaluating segmentation algorithms and measuring ecological statistics

This paper presents a database containing 'ground truth' segmentations produced by humans for images of a wide variety of natural scenes. We define an error measure which quantifies the consistency between segmentations of differing granularities and find that different human segmentations of the same image are highly consistent. Use of this dataset is demonstrated in two applications: (1) evaluating the performance of segmentation algorithms and (2) measuring probability distributions associated with Gestalt grouping factors as well as statistics of image region properties.
Being sued in rural practice? A perspective from the USA

: Information about the human dimension of medical litigation, better known as being sued, is sparse, particularly as it relates to physicians who arc in rural practice in the USA. Stemming from demographic, cultural and socioeconomic factors, physician-community dynamics in rural areas differ from those in more populated settings. Those dynamics probably are similar in rural communities worldwide. This article focuses on the impact of litigation on rural physicians who practise in the USA. However, the information may also be applicable to physicians in other countries, in this case Australia. The information herein is based on the literature, observing and talking with rural physicians and other health care providers who have been involved in some way with the legal or court systems, interviews with lawyers, personal experiences while living and working in rural environments, as well as having served as expert witnesses for cases involving rural health care providers.
CSK Controls Retinoic Acid Receptor (RAR) Signaling: a RAR-c-SRC Signaling Axis Is Required for Neuritogenic Differentiation

Herein, we report the first evidence that c-SRC is required for retinoic acid (RA) receptor (RAR) signaling, an observation that suggests a new paradigm for this family of nuclear hormone receptors. We observed that CSK negatively regulates RAR functions required for neuritogenic differentiation. CSK overexpression inhibited RA-mediated neurite outgrowth, a result which correlated with the inhibition of the SFK c-SRC. Consistent with an extranuclear effect of CSK on RAR signaling and neurite outgrowth, CSK overexpression blocked the downstream activation of RAC1. The conversion of GDP-RAC1 to GTP-RAC1 parallels the activation of c-SRC as early as 15 min following all-trans-retinoic acid treatment in LA-N-5 cells. The cytoplasmic colocalization of c-SRC and RARγ was confirmed by immunofluorescence staining and confocal microscopy. A direct and ligand-dependent binding of RAR with SRC was observed by surface plasmon resonance, and coimmunoprecipitation studies confirmed the in vivo binding of RARγ to c-SRC. Deletion of a proline-rich domain within RARγ abrogated this interaction in vivo. CSK blocked the RAR-RA-dependent activation of SRC and neurite outgrowth in LA-N-5 cells. The results suggest that transcriptional signaling events mediated by RA-RAR are necessary but not sufficient to mediate complex differentiation in neuronal cells. We have elucidated a nongenomic extranuclear signal mediated by the RAR-SRC interaction that is negatively regulated by CSK and is required for RA-induced neuronal differentiation.
Urban markets as a corrective to advanced urbanism: : The social space of wet markets in contemporary Singapore

The renewed popularity of urban markets has generated substantial attention among policymakers, planners and urban scholars. In addition to their potential local economic impact, markets provide spaces for a variety of social exchanges and interactions that may strengthen communal ties, reproduce existing social tensions or simply reflect everyday diversity; consequently, the social functions of urban markets differ depending on the specific social, political and economic context in which individual markets operate. Based on data from interviews, questionnaires and participant observation, this article examines social exchanges and interactions within wet markets (meat, fish, fruits and vegetable markets) in Singapore. The types of social interactions found in wet markets are wide-ranging and informal, and occur across different ethnicities, generations, social statuses and classes; they can range from casual exchanges to planned gatherings to sustained relations based on mutual reciprocity and trust. Wet markets are significant to Singaporeans because they are spaces of unmediated social interactions and, within the context of state governance and ongoing modernisation, increasingly exceptional. The attachment to wet markets is a collective, social response to an ongoing process in which existing and meaningful social spaces (e.g. neighbourhoods and markets) are being erased by a redeveloped urban landscape, a concomitant disappearance of unregulated community space, and the pervasiveness of normative consumerism.
Synthesis of DnaK protein during the division cycle of Escherichia coli.

Abstract DnaK protein is involved in the initiation of DNA synthesis from the Escherichia coli chromosomes as well as from the replication origins of phage λ and P1. The synthesis of dnaK mRNA and protein has been reported to vary during the cell cycle of Caulobacter crescentus (Gomes et al. , 1990). We have measured the expression of DnaK protein during the E. coli division cycle using the membrane-elution method. Cells labelled with a radioactive amino acid at different times during the division cycle were analysed for radiolabelled DnaK protein by quantitative immunoprecipitation, gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. In contrast to reports of cell-cycle-specific synthesis of DnaK protein in C. crescentus , we find the synthesis of DnaK protein to be invariant during the E. coli division cycle. Its synthesis occurs exponentially, as does the synthesis of total cell protein.
Inhibition of Bacillus anthracis Growth and Virulence-Gene Expression by Inhibitors of Quorum-Sensing

Density-dependent gene expression, quorum sensing (QS), involves the synthesis and detection of low-molecular-weight molecules known as autoinducers. Inhibitors of bacterial QS systems offer potential treatment of infections with highly virulent or multidrug-resistant agents. We studied the effects on Bacillus anthracis growth and the virulence gene (pagA, lef, and cya) expression of the QS inhibitor (5Z)-4-bromo-5-(bromomethylene)-3-butyl-2(5H)-furanone, which is naturally synthesized by the marine alga Delisea pulchra, as well as a related compound and synthetic derivatives. Growth of B. anthracis Sterne strain was substantially reduced in the presence of each furanone in a dose-dependent manner. When furanones were added to midlog-phase cultures of B. anthracis strains with LacZ reporters in pagA, lef, or cya, growth was inhibited, and expression of these virulence genes was inhibited to a proportionately greater extent. These data suggest that use of QS inhibitors could represent novel therapies for anthrax.
RF heating of implanted spinal fusion stimulator during magnetic resonance imaging

Radio frequency (RF) heating of an implanted spinal fusion stimulator (SpF) during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was studied on a full-size human phantom. Heating during MRI scans (GE Signa 4X, 1.5 T) was measured with RF-transparent fiberoptic sensors. With the implant correctly connected, the maximum temperature rises were less than 2/spl deg/C during the 26 min that the scans were at maximum RF power. At the tip of a broken stimulator lead (connecting the SpF generator and its electrodes), the maximum temperature rise was 11-14/spl deg/C. Regular 4-min scans of the spinal cord produced similar temperature rises at the broken tip. After the generator and the leads were removed, heating at the electrode connector tip was less than 1.5/spl deg/C. The control temperature rises at the same locations, without the stimulator, were less than 0.5/spl deg/C. This study shows that spinal fusion stimulator heating is within the Food and Drug Administration safety guideline of 2/spl deg/C. However, if a lead wire is broken, it is unsafe during MRI scans. Radiological examinations will be necessary to ensure the integrity of the implant.
The Inside Story

How We Think They Think: Anthropological Approaches to Cognition, Memory, and Literacy. Maurice E. F. Bloch. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1997.205 pp. Explaining Culture:. Naturalistic Approach. Dan Sperber. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 1996. 175 pp. Cognitive Theory of Cultural Meaning. Claudia Strauss and Naomi Quinn. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998. 323 pp. Mind as Action. James V. Wertsch. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. 203 pp.
The effect of national culture on management control and incentive system design in multi-business firms: evidence of intracorporate isomorphism

This paper examines whether variations in national culture at the business-unit level of multi-business firms that operate internationally trigger adjustments in the corporate management control and incentive systems (MCISs) to fit local business-unit circumstances. Although the results show that selected MCIS characteristics are attuned to business-unit national culture, further analysis of multi-level data reveal small business-unit effects relative to corporate effects. The presence of dominant corporate effects suggests that MCISs tend to be uniformly implemented within firms, rather than to reflect local business-unit conditions.
Osteology and skeletal development of Discoglossus sardus (Anura: Discoglossidae)

Although frogs in the archaeobatrachian family Discoglossidae are reasonably well known, descriptions of their larval skeletons and osteogenesis are almost nonexistent. Skeletogenesis, chondrocranial development, and the adult skeleton of Discoglossus sardus are described on the basis of cleared and stained, dry, and radiographed specimens. In D. sardus, the first elements to ossify are the parasphenoid, frontoparietals, exoccipitals, neural arches, ischium, long bones, and dermal elements of the pectoral girdle (Gosner Stage 36). Major reconstruction of the chondrocranium begins at the onset of metamorphosis (Stage 41), contemporaneous with the ossification of the premaxillae, maxillae, vomers, and septomaxillae. Several cranial (e.g., pterygoid, mentomeckelian, sphenethmoid) and postcranial (e.g., carpals, hyoid) elements do not commence ossification until after metamorphosis (Stage 46). Discoglossids are characterized by the presence of a facial foramen in the lateral wall of the chondrocranium, a rod-like epipubis developing from two primordia, and the lack of a neopalatine bone. Adult male Discoglossus possess an enlarged, crested metacarpal II and a broad prepollical element. This detailed description serves as a model to compare the development of other discoglossid frogs and provides detailed descriptions of several enigmatic structures. J. Morphol. 233:267–286, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Multivariate Poisson interpoint distances

Abstract We study the properties of the squared interpoint distances (IDs) in samples taken from multivariate Poisson distributions. We obtain the distribution IDs within one sample and across two independent samples. We derive the means and covariances of the average IDs.
Incorporating automation: using modeling and simulation to enable task re-allocation

Models for evaluating changes in human workload as a function of task allocation between humans and automation are investigated. Specifically, SysML activity diagrams and IMPRINT workload models are developed for a tablet-based game with the ability to incorporate automation. Although a first order model could be created by removing workload associated with tasks that are allocated away from the human and to the computer, we discuss the need to improve the activity diagrams and models by capturing workload associated with communicating state information between the human and the automation. Further, these models are extended to capture additional human tasks, which permit the user to maintain situation awareness, enabling the human to monitor the robustness of the automation. Through these model extensions, it is concluded that human workload will be affected by the degree the human relies upon the automation to accurately perform its allocated tasks.
Efficient Residual-Based Mesh Adaptation for 1D and 2D CFD Applications

This work examines different approaches for driving mesh adaptation on 1D and 2D structured grids. Arguments are made for truncation error-based adaptation since it serves as the local source of the discretization error. While the equivalency of the truncation error and discrete or continuous residuals is discussed, analytic truncation error expressions are derived and used in the current work. Derivation of truncation error (TE) expressions for 1D and 2D Burgers equation is discussed. TE expressions are presented for a finite volume formulation of the quasi-1D nozzle problem employing the 1D Euler equations with a central flux scheme stabilized with numerical damping. Examination of the truncation error expressions in generalized coordinates provides insight into the effects of mesh quality (mesh stretching in 1D and mesh stretching, mesh skewness and curvature in 2D) on the discretization error. Numerical results for 1D Burgers equation using four different approaches for driving mesh adaption are presented: solution gradients, solution curvature (i.e., Hessian), discretization error, and truncation error. Numerical results for 2D Burgers equation using five different mesh adaption approaches based upon truncation error, discretization error, Laplacian, Hessian and discrete residual are presented. Results from truncation error-based adaption and feature-based adaption are presented and compared for the quasi-1D nozzle problem.
Hemolytic activity of diethylstilbestrol and some steroid hormones.

SummaryDiethylstilbestrol, progesterone and DOCA induced in vitro hemolysis of human “O” erythrocytes. The hemolytic activity of stilbestrol was modified by temperature, pH, human serum, or the addition of non-hemolytic corticosteroids. Prolytic loss of potassium from stilbestrol-treated cells was demonstrated.