cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The HNRC 500-Neuropsychology of Hiv infection at different disease stages

The present study examined neuropsychological (NP) functioning and associated medical, neurological, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and psychiatric findings in 389 nondemented males infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Type 1 (HIV-1), and in 111 uninfected controls. Using a comprehensive NP test battery, we found increased rates of impairment at each successive stage of HIV infection. HIV-related NP impairment was generally mild, especially in the medically asymptomatic stage of infection, and most often affected attention, speed of information processing, and learning efficiency; this pattern is consistent with earliest involvement of subcortical or frontostriatal brain systems. NP impairment could not be explained on the bases of mood disturbance, recreational drug or alcohol use, or constitutional symptoms; by contrast, impairment in HIV-infected subjects was related to central brain atrophy on MRI, as well as to evidence of cellular immune activation and neurological abnormalities linked to the central nervous system. ( JINS , 1995, 1 , 231–251.)
The Realities of Strategic Planning: Program Termination at East Central University

It is not difficult to find advice for colleges and universities about management and restructuring during periods of financial stress. Texts and chapters on strategic planning (Keller, 1983; Rowley, Lujan, & Dolen, 1997; Schuster, Smith, Corak, & Yamada, 1994) and restructuring in lieu of retrenchment (Karr & Kelley, 1996; Leslie & Fretwell, 1996; MacTaggart, 1996; Myers, 1996) provide recipes for proactively managing a university through hard times. These texts and chapters guide managers interested in such topics as environmental scanning, resource reallocation, dealing with faculty, and the role of campus culture. Primarily, however, these sources provide “macro” case studies: they aggregate examples of restructuring at colleges and uni-
The Gibbs-Bogoliubov inequality dagger

A simple inequality, expressed in terms of two arbitrary distribution functions of the same normalization, is shown to be useful. By choosing various different forms for the distribution functions one can derive important results, such as the upper and lower bounds of the configurational free energy.
Modules with pure resolutions over Koszul algebras revisited

I construct a Koszul algebra A and a finitely generated graded A-module M that together form a counterexample to a recently published claim. M is generated in degree 0 and has a pure resolution, and the graded Jacobson radical of the Yoneda algebra of A does not annihilate the Ext module of M, but nonetheless M is not a Koszul module.
A 16,000 year pollen record from Lake Wabamun, Alberta, Canada

Abstract Analysis of fossil pollen from Lake Wabamun sediments record a Late Quaternary vegetational record for the last 16,000 years and indicates that the area between the Laurentide and Cordilleran ice centers was ice free since at least 16,000 years B.P. Pollen influx and pollen percentage data indicate a vegetational sequence beginning with a tundra vegetation from 16,000–11,750 years ago. By 11,750 years B .P., birch and alder colonized the area but was soon followed by a cold climate type coniferous forest composed primarily of spruce with some elements of birch and poplar. A warming trend begins around 9250 years B.P. which culminates in the Hypsithermal. However, pollen preservation is too poor during this portion of the record for direct vegetational reconstruction. Immediately following the Hypsithermal, a spruce‐poplar vegetational association was present that was similar to some present boreal forest areas in northern Alberta. Around 2000 years B.P. the pollen influx values decline and sugges...
Deceptions in quasicrystal growth

We discuss a new general phenomenon pertaining to tiling models of quasicrystal growth. It is known that with Penrose tiles no (deterministic) local matching rules exist which guarantee defect-free tiling for regions of arbitrary large size. We prove that this property holds quite generally: namely, that the emergence of defects in quasicrystal growth is unavoidable for all aperiodic tiling models in the plane with local matching rules, and for many models inR3 satisfying certain conditions.
Use of Inferior Vena Cava Filters in the Medicare Population

To examine the use of inferior vena cava (IVC) filters, we performed a population-based study using a 5% random sample of the United States Medicare population (1.25 million persons). Filter placement and its timing relative to diagnosis of venous thromboembolism (VTE) were determined using both hospital and physician Medicare billing codes after detailed review of large samples of complete individual claims records. Comorbid conditions and mortality were also noted. From July 1986 through June 1989, a total of 806 patients in the sample population received IVC filters. Mortality rates after filter placement were high: 16% during initial hospitalization, 32% within 6 months of filter placement, and 48% after 2 years. However, only 3 (1%) of 423 patients who underwent filter placement without the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) suffered PE within 1 year of filter placement. Use of IVC filters increased significantly over the study period (p <0.001).Rates of filter placement among the nine census divisions of the United States differed significantly (p<0.001).An East-West trend was notable with the highest rate (37 filters/100,000 enrollees/yr) in New England, as compared with 14 filters/100,000 enrollees/yr in the Pacific Division. No explanation for these regional-differences was evident after patient demographics and comorbidity were examined. Vena cava filters prevent PE for at least 1 year after placement. The frequency of IVC filter use in elderly patients is increasing and varies substantially by region. Although reasons for these trends are unclear, these findings suggest the need for uniform practice guidelines for IVC filter placement.
Liquid-solid extraction system based on between 40-salt-H2O without organic solvents

An aqueous solution of Tween 40 forms liquid and solid phases in the presence of various salts, depending on the Tween 40 concentration, the identity and concentration of the salt, and the solution acidity. The distribution of Zr(IV), U(VI), Fe(III), Pb(II) and some organic photometric reagents between the Tween 40 phase and aqueous phase containing salt was examined. The quantitative extraction, separation and determination of Zr(IV) or U(VI) in the presence of Pb(II) was achieved by controlling the solution acidity in the system. The extraction mechanism has been tentatively studied.
Seasonal effects of food provisioning on body fat, insulin, and corticosterone in free-living juvenile Belding's ground squirrels (Spermophilus beldingi)

We evaluated the relationship between body fat and the metabolic hormones insulin and corticosterone in free-living juvenile Belding's ground squirrels (Spermophilus beldingi). Some free-living juveniles were provisioned with extra food high in fat and calories, and unprovisioned juveniles were used as controls. Body fat (as a percentage of body mass) of squirrels was regularly evaluated using non-invasive methods. Blood samples were also regularly collected from juveniles and assayed for plasma concentrations of insulin and corticosterone. Provisioned juveniles were fatter than unprovisioned juveniles during most of the active season, but differences in body fat disappeared near the end of summer as juveniles began fattening for hibernation. Thus, our data indicate that although body fat may fluctuate with energy availability early in the active season, it is regulated at precise levels as squirrels prepare for winter. Plasma corticosterone concentrations did not differ between provisioned and unprovisio...
The relevance of pharmacokinetic studies in designing efficacy trials in juvenile major depression.

Introduction: Identifying evidence-based dosing strategies is a key part of new drug development in pediatric populations. Pharmacokinetic (PK) studies can provide important information regarding how best to dose medications in children and adolescents. Utilizing scientifically supported dosing strategies provides the best chance for any given drug to demonstrate both efficacy and acceptable tolerability in definitive, placebo-controlled studies. Methods: Results of both PK studies and randomized, placebo-controlled efficacy trials (RPCTs) in juvenile major depressive disorder (MDD) are reviewed. The degree to which the medication dosing strategies that were employed in the efficacy studies were supported by the extant PK data is considered. Medications that are reviewed include fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, citalopram, escitalopram, venlafaxine, nefazodone, and mirtazapine. Results: In many instances, the dosing paradigms that were used in the RPCTs differed, sometimes substantially, from the dosin...
Influence of body weight on patients' satisfaction with ambulatory care.

Patients with obesity experience psychosocial consequences because of their weight and report physician bias. We examined whether obesity is associated with lower patient satisfaction with ambulatory care among 2,858 patients seen at 11 academically affiliated primary care practices in Boston. Compared with normal weight patients (body mass index [BMI], 19.0 to 24.9 kg/M2), overweight (BMI, 25.0 to 29.9 kg/M2) and obese patients (BMI ≥30 kg/M2) reported lower overall satisfaction scores at their most recent visit; the scores were 85.5, 85.0, and 82.6 out a possible 100, respectively (P=.05). After adjustment for potential confounders including illness burden, obese patients reported lower scores but the difference was not statistically significant (mean difference, 1.23 [95% confidence interval −0.67 to 3.12]). Patient satisfaction with their usual provider and their practice did not vary by BMI group. Obesity is associated with only modest decreases in satisfaction scores with the most recent visit, which were explained largely by higher illness burden among obese patients.
Blocking of the fibrinolytic antiactivator by substituted benzoates

Abstract The effects of substituted benzoates on the inhibition of the urokinase-activation of profibrinolysin by the fibrinolytic antiactivator in plasma were investigated. It was found that substituted benzoates block the inhibition of urokinase by plasma fibrinolytic antiactivators. The urokinase which is bound by the antiactivator appears to be released and hence is available to activate profibrinolysin to fibrinolysin. The nitrobenzoates were the most effective of all compounds tested.
Review of passive shear-flow control research for improved subsonic and supersonic combustion

Shear-flow investigations have been conducted in the high-Re, turbulent initial-condition combustion regime representative of flow configurations encountered in ramjets and in supersonic plumes. Large-scale vortical structures were identified and characterized in both nonreacting and combustion-reaction experimental conditions; attention was given to these structures' role in mixing, and their breakup into fine-scale turbulence. Shear-flow/combustion control was obtained by actively enlisting duct acoustics and passively employing noncircular flow cross-sections. The investigations were extended to supersonic shear flows, yielding improved mixing for supersonic combustion. 44 refs.
Synthesis, characterization and copper incorporation into 5-(4-pyridyl)-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin

Abstract 5-(4-Pyridyl)-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin, H 2 TriP, and its water insoluble N-Methyl derivative were synthesized. The PMR and phase selective first and second harmonic polarographic studies were consistent with the proposed structure. In either sodium dodecylsulfate or Triton X-100 detergents, only the free base and di-acid porphyrin forms were present. This was confirmed by a copper incorporation study in SDS, which indicated the absence of a mono-cation, reactivity of only the free base form, and no anion catalysis.
Copper Transport in Calcareous Soils: Miscible Displacement Experiments and Second‐Order Modeling

Miscible displacement column experiments and batch adsorption were performed to assess Cu mobility and reactivity in calcareous soils. The strongest Cu retention was observed in the surface layer of a calcareous soil having 2.76% CaCO 3 in comparison with the subsurface layer having 1.18% CaCO 3 . Measured Freundlich adsorption coefficients ( K f ) were 5226.4 and 755.5 mL g −1 for the surface and subsurface soils, respectively. Breakthrough curves (BTCs) based on miscible displacement column experiments indicated strong Cu retention and limited mobility especially for the surface soil. Removal of carbonates from the surface soil resulted in extensive Cu mobility, with 87% of the applied Cu recovered in the effluent compared with only 27% when carbonates were not removed. Chemical extraction of the soil from the columns at different depths revealed that retained Cu was associated primarily with the carbonate and oxide fractions (53.9–69.2%). This amount decreased sharply to 9.6 to 20.6% when carbonates were removed from the surface soil. A linear model failed to predict concentration maxima and the extensive tailing of Cu BTCs. The use of a second-order, two-site (SOTS) model provided a good description of the BTCs, where arrival of Cu in the effluent, concentration maxima, and the slow release during leaching were well predicted. The use of a SOTS model, which accounts for kinetic reversible and irreversible retention mechanisms, is recommended for predicting Cu transport in calcareous soils.
Metal exposure and common chronic diseases: a guide for the clinician

n 1911 Dr Alice Hamilton, a pioneer in modern occupational medicine, long with colleagues, issued a report to the Governor of Illinois detailing he results of a survey of occupational disease in the state. They reported n investigations into brass chills, carbon monoxide poisoning, miner’s ystagmus, and boilermaker’s deafness. Hamilton described in depth the yriad uses of lead in Illinois industry and, using clinical records along ith personal follow-up, documented 578 cases of lead poisoning, ncluding many cases of wristdrop (Figure 1). In her memoir, Hamilton describes the steps she took to identify sources f lead poisoning: she reviewed hospital records to confirm the diagnosis, earched for the patient’s home, and interviewed the patient’s wife about is place of employment. Bemoaning this labor-intensive method, Hamlton relates that “[h]ospital history sheets noted carefully all the facts bout tobacco, alcohol, even coffee consumed by the leaded man, though bviously he was not suffering from those poisons; but curiosity as to ow he became poisoned with lead was not in the interne’s mental ake-up.” In the decades since Hamilton’s pioneering work, as a result of evelopments ranging from vastly improved exposure conditions to the se of biomarkers to detect subclinical illness, the clinical spectrum of ccupational lead and other metal poisonings in the United States has hanged dramatically. With lead, for example, wristdrop has been nheard of for decades, and concern has shifted to more subtle end points uch as the effects of lead on population blood pressure and on cognition n children. Newer industrial processes have introduced new exposures, uch as beryllium, and their associated diseases. As in so many other reas of medicine, modern laboratory methods have yielded new under-
Autoignition of gasoline and its surrogates in a rapid compression machine

Abstract The analysis and interpretation of the combustion chemistry is greatly simplified by using simple mixtures of pure components, referred to as surrogates, in lieu of fully-blended transportation fuels, such as gasoline. Recognizing that the ability to model autoignition chemistry is critical to understanding the operation of Homogeneous Charged Compression Ignition engines, this work is an attempt to experimentally and computationally assess the autoignition responses of research grade gasoline and two of its proposed surrogates reported in the literature using a rapid compression machine (RCM), for the low-to-intermediate temperature range and at high pressures. The first surrogate studied is a three-component mixture of iso -octane, n -heptane, and toluene. The second is a four-component mixture that includes an olefin (2-pentene), in addition to the ones noted above. Ignition delay times of stoichiometric mixtures, for gasoline and the two surrogates in air, are measured using an RCM for pressures of 20 and 40 bar, and in the temperature range of 650–900 K. The four-component surrogate is found to emulate the ignition delay times of gasoline more closely when compared to the three-component surrogate. Additionally, the experimental data are compared against the computed results from a recently developed surrogate model for gasoline combustion. A good agreement between the experimental and computed results is observed, while discrepancies are also identified and discussed.
Neogene biostratigraphy and paleoenvironments of Enewetak Atoll, equatorial Pacific Ocean

Abstract Micropaleontologic analyses of Neogene sediments from Enewetak Atoll, Marshall Islands, provide data on the age of lagoonal deposits, stratigraphic disconformities and the paleoenvironmental and subsidence history of the atoll. Benthic foraminifers, planktic foraminifers, calcareous nannofossils and ostracodes were studied from six boreholes, the deepest penetrating 1605 feet below the lagoon floor into upper Oligocene strata. The Oligocene-Miocene boundary occurs at about 1200 ft below the lagoon floor. The early and middle Miocene is characterized by brief periods of deposition and numerous hiatuses. Ostracodes and benthic foraminifers indicate a shallow-marine reefal environment with occasional brackish water conditions. Upper Miocene and lower Pliocene deposits placed in calcareous nannofossil Zones NN9–15 and in planktic foraminifer Zones N16–19 contain species-rich benthic microfaunas which indicate alternating reefal and brackish water mangrove environments. The upper Pliocene contains at least two major depositional hiatuses that coincide with a major faunal turnover in benthic foraminiferal and ostracode assemblages. The Quaternary is characterized by benthic microfaunas similar to those of modern atoll lagoons and is punctuated by at least 11 disconformities which signify periods of low sea level. Atoll subsidence rates during the last 10 Ma averaged 30 to 40 m/m.y.
What is the risk of sudden cardiac death in patients presenting with hemodynamically stable sustained ventricular tachycardia after myocardial infarction

Abstract Objectives. This study sought to determine the long-term risk of sudden cardiac death in patients with hemodynamically stable sustained ventricular tachycardia complicating coronary artery disease. Background. The prognosis and risk of sudden cardiac death in patients with a history of myocardial infarction and ventricular tachyarrhythmias have not been clearly defined. Prior studies are limited by a short follow-up period and by inclusion of patients with heterogeneous cardiac diseases and presenting arrhythmias. Methods. A retrospective cohort analysis was performed on data from 124 patients, followed up for a mean of 36 ± 30 months, who received electrophysiologically guided therapy for hemodynamically stable ventricular tachycardia after remote myocardial infarction. Results. Seventy-eight patients were treated pharmacologically (medical group), and 46 patients underwent map-guided subendocardial resection (surgical group). Nine patients (7.3%) died suddenly, 5 (4.0%) died of noncardiac causes, 9 (7.3%) died of a perioperative complication, and 20 (23.4%) died of other cardiac causes. At 1, 2 and 3 years, sudden death occured at cumulative rates of 2 ± 1%, 3 ± 2% and 7 ± 3%, whereas total mortality was 20 ± 4%, 28 ± 4% and 32 ± 5% (mean ± SD). Sudden cardiac death (p = 0.047) and total mortality (p = 0.036) were higher in patients with multivessel disease and were similar for both treatment groups. Conclusions. Although the overall mortality in postinfarction patients presenting with hemodynamically stable ventricular tachycardia treated with electrophysiologically guided antiarrhythmic therapy is high, the risk of sudden death in these patients appears to be low (average 2.4%/year).
Proteoglycans and the modulation of cell adhesion by steric exclusion

The hypothesis that cell aggregation may be driven by linear polymers in the matrix, particularly glycosaminoglycans, is revisited in light of more recent evidence. A model is proposed that extends the concept of steric exclusion to include a role in determining the directionality of cell migration and neurite extension. Recent literature is reviewed to support the conclusion that in living tissues the theoretical conditions for driving aggregation and migration by steric exclusion are met. The ability of a linear polymer to exclude cells is a function of its viscosity, which is optimum with glycosaminoglycans similar to chondroitin sulfate. It is ineffective with low viscosity glycosaminoglycans such as most heparin or heparan sulfate. Hyaluronic acid, a massive polymer, excludes cells poorly when present as an open matrix gel but forms an effective exclusion barrier when attached to the cell surface. According to a model for steric exclusion in organogenesis, when cells have a glycocalyx of linear polymer, they should disperse and migrate down a viscosity gradient of excluding matrix polymer; when they shed or internalize their surface coat in the continued presence of matrix, they should be excluded into a smaller volume and thus stimulated to aggregate. © 1993 wiley-Liss, Inc.
Role of microbial communities in mediating ecosystem response to disturbance

consideration of disturbance. Yet, a synthetic understanding of the factors that govern postdisturbance ecosystem change is lacking. The role of microbial communities in mediating post-disturbance biogeochemistry has been overlooked in favor of a focus on process rates themselves and assuming that microbes act in a ‘‘black box.’’ For example, in the recent, globally comprehensive, Millenium Ecosystem Assessment, recommendations for critical research areas and data collection to forecast changes in ecosystem services generally lack any direct reference to soil biotic communities (Agardy et al. 2005, p. 837). However, understanding alterations of microbially mediated ecosystem function is critical for understanding nutrient limitations, ecosystem productivity, and ultimately, ecosystem services. Instead, observations of altered ecosystem function after disturbance tend to be indirect and descriptive, lacking a mechanistic basis for interpreting the observed changes. This lack of mechanistic understanding of the relationship between soil microbial communities, ecosystem function and their potential responses to disturbance, limits our ability to make predictions across spatial and temporal domains. At the same time, we have gained significant insight into, and ability to detect, how microbial community activity alters ecosystem processes. Given increasing pressures on ecologists to interpret and forecast the effects of global change, ignoring these insights regarding the fundamental role of micro-organisms is not acceptable. The current challenge therefore is to synthesize knowledge about microbial community activity following disturbance to determine when, how, and why microbial community structure and function mediate ecosystem responses to disturbance. This special issue includes studies that explore the relationship between microbial communities and disturbance, and the consequence of microbiological changes on ecosystem function. Past studies demonstrating that disturbance alters microbial communities have generally been casespecific. As a result, little is known about the relative impact of different types of disturbances and their variation in time and space. In this issue, I asked authors to address microbial structure and function in response to the particular disturbance with which they were most familiar, and to synthesize the ecological lessons from these studies. Consequently, the papers cover a wide range of disturbance types including global change, atmospheric CO2 enrichment, wetland disruption, and E. A. H. Smithwick (&) Department of Zoology, Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Drive, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA e-mail: easmithwick@wisc.edu Plant Soil (2006) 289:1–3 DOI 10.1007/s11104-006-9084-5
Ganglioside changes in slow virus diseases: Analyses of chimpanzee brains infected with kuru and Creutzfeldt-Jacob agents

Abstract Brain gangliosides from chimpanzees infected with the viruses of kuru and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease were isolated and subjected to quantitative and TLC analysis. Decreases of 40% and 25%, respectively, were found in total gray matter gangliosides. White matter of kuru showed a decline of 23%, whereas white matter of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease showed an increase in total gangliosides amounting to 20% on a wet weight basis and 34% related to dry weight. TLC patterns were relatively normal for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease except for possible slight decrease in G1, G2 and G2A. The kuru pattern was abnormal with marked increase of G3A in both white and gray matter and slight elevation of G5 and G6. G2A did not increase, which marked a major difference from the previously reported pattern of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE).
Urban Policy in Houston, Texas:

.The only major city in the United States without a zoning ordinance, a city with too little in the way of taxes to support public planning, a city where public sector intervention has been seen historically as detrimental to urban development, Houston seems to be more an unbridled phenomenon than the product of urban policy . In 1978 U.S. News and World Report saw Houston exactly that way
Rietveld refinement results on three nonstoichiometric monoclinic NASICONs

Abstract The results of three powder Rietveld refinements of monoclinic NASICONs, prepared by different methods, are examined. Neutron TOF data were collected on two samples: a sol-gel prepared NASICON was found to have the formula Na3Zr1.93Si2PO11.86 and a reheated commercially available NASICON a formula of Na3.17Zr1.93Si1.9P1.1O12. Following our neutron study on a nonstoichiometric hydrothermally prepared NASICON we prepared the same nonstoichiometric phase by sol-gel methods and X-ray Rietveld analysis yielded the formula Na3.2Zr1.68Si1.84P1.16O11.54. These stoichiometries can be represented by the general formula Na1+4y+xZr2−y−zSixO12−2z where z represents the ZrO2 mole deficiency and y the amount of Zr4+ vacancies compensated by 4Na+. These differences in stoichiometry are accompanied by structural differences such as Si/P segregation and variations in cavity occupancy by Na+. It is proposed that the method of preparation is largely responsible for the observed differences.
Redox regulation of cytokine-mediated inhibition of myelin gene expression in human primary oligodendrocytes.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) of unknown etiology. Several studies have shown that demyelination in MS is caused by proinflammatory mediators which are released by perivascular infiltrates and/or activated glial cells. To understand if proinflammatory mediators such as IL (interleukin)-1β and TNF (tumor necrosis factor)-α are capable of modulating the expression of myelin-specific genes, we investigated the effect of these cytokines on the expression of myelin basic protein (MBP), 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase (CNPase), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), and proteolipid protein (PLP) in human primary oligodendrocytes. Interestingly, both IL-1β and TNF-α markedly inhibited the expression of MOG, CNPase, and PLP but not MBP, the effect that was blocked by antioxidants such as N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC). Consistently, oxidants and prooxidants like H2O2 and diamide also markedly inhibited the expression of MOG, CNPase, and PLP. Furthermore, both IL-1β and TNF-α induced the production of H2O2. Taken together, these studies suggest that proinflammatory cytokines inhibit the expression of myelin genes in human primary oligodendrocytes through the alteration of cellular redox.
Monte Carlo source detection of atmospheric emissions and error functions analysis

A Monte Carlo algorithm is iteratively run to identify candidate sources for atmospheric releases. The values of the ground measurements of concentration are synthetically generated by a benchmark simulation of a Gaussian dispersion model. At each iteration, a Gaussian reflected plume model is applied to compute the dispersion from a candidate source, and the resulting concentrations are compared with the measurements at fixed points on the ground. Iterative algorithms for detection of atmospheric release sources are based on the optimization of an error function between numerical simulations and observations. However, the definition of error between observations and simulations by an atmospheric dispersion model is not univocal. In this paper, the comparisons are made using various error functions. The characteristics of different error functions between model predictions and sensor measurements are investigated, with a statistical analysis of the results. Sensitivity to domain size and addition of random noise to the measurements are also investigated.
Laryngeal Asymmetry on Indirect Laryngoscopy in a Symptomatic Patient Should Be Evaluated With Electromyography

Laryngeal asymmetry is sometimes encountered in patients who present for evaluation of hoarseness. This asymmetry may have a number of different causes, but a principal concern of the clinician is vocal fold paralysis and paresis. While the use of computed tomography (CT) to visualize the course of the superior and recurrent laryngeal nerves is considered paramount to determine if a neoplasm with nerve involvement is present, the appropriate clinical approach to such a patient with symptomatic hoarseness and laryngeal asymmetry is controversial. Furthermore, there is no clear consensus on the choice and timing of intervention to improve the patient’s voice. Laryngeal electromyography is a diagnostic tool that shows increasing promise to help differentiate between different possible causes of laryngeal asymmetry and provide prognostic information. However, controversy remains regarding its limitations, principally whether the use of LEMG ultimately alters the treatment of such a patient. THE ASYMMETRIC LARYNX
Lateralization of Filtered Clicks

Lateralization of brief clicks was studied while the frequency content of the clicks was altered by filtering. The subject was asked to discriminate a centered image, a pair of identical clicks that arrived simultaneously at the two headphones, from a displaced image, a pair of identical clicks in which the click to the left ear was slightly delayed. The discrimination of the lateral position deteriorated as the clicks were high‐pass filtered beyond 1500 Hz and was largely unaffected by low‐pass filtering. Masking with high‐pass and low‐pass noise showed that low‐pass noise severely disrupted the lateralization of the high‐pass clicks, but the high‐pass noise produced no disruption of the lateralization of the low‐pass clicks. Our results suggest that the discrimination of lateral position depends largely on the low‐frequency content of the click and thus, presumably, on the apical end of cochlear partition.
COOPERATIVITY OF THE DEHYDRATION BLUE‐SHIFT OF BACTERIORHODOPSIN

– Dehydration of purple membrane (PM) causes a hlue-shift of the absorbance maximum from 570 nm to about 530 nm [Lazarev and Terpugov (1980) Biochim. Biophys. Acta590.324–338; Hildebrandt and Stockburger (1984) Biochemistry23,5539–5548]. The absorbance spectra of PM dried in films at pH 0, 7 and 11 were measured at controlled relative humidities (RH). At pH 7, a blue-shift was observed similar to that previously reported. At pH 0(1M H2SO4) a reversible transition was observed from the “acid blue membrane” (maximum near 600 nm at 100% RH) to a blue-shifted dehydrated pigment (maximum near 578 nm at 50% RH), with isosbestic points at 592 and 710 nm. At pH 11 (NaOH) the absorbance maximum shifted to 530 nm, similar to the dehydrated form at pH 7. The fraction of hydrated chromophore, Xh, was calculated (assuming only two chromophore states, hydrated and dehydrated) as a function of humidity and pH. The resulting curve at pH 7 showed a steep decline in Xh below 20% RH. Near this hydration level, water clusters on protein surfaces break up, causing side-chain pK reversals. The Hill coefficient for the transition was about 2, indicating the minimum number of water molecules involved in a cooperative transition. The results suggest that as few as two water molecules are coordinated to the protonated retinal Schiff base of bacteriorhodopsin. A mechanism for the pH 7 dehydration blue-shift is proposed, involving a pK reversal of the protonated Schiff base and a nearby carboxyl side chain. At pH 0, a sharp decline in Xh occurs between 100 and 70% RH. Near this hydration level, complete protein surface coverage by a water monolayer occurs. The Hill coefficient is about 20, suggesting involvement of a large region of the surface.
Cocaine, Pregnancy, and the Growing Child

Substance abuse is not a new phenomenon. In the 1930s in the United States, there were epidemics of cocaine and alcohol abuse. In the 1960s and 197Os, marijuana, alcohol, and heroin were the most commonly abused drugs. However, the thalidomide tragedy of the 1960s gave rise to serious concerns that any substances a pregnant woman ingested could have a potential impact on her developing fetus. In the early 197Os, the modern description of the fetal alcohol syndrome’ turned clinicians’ attention to recreational drugs a woman might use during gestation, and this was soon followed by the description of the neonatal abstinence syndrome in newborns undergoing withdrawal from their mothers’ use of opiates, especially heroin, during pregnancy.2 The emergence of cocaine in the early 1980s as a drug of choice among large portions of the US population marked a new era in perinatal medicine, for here was a drug that was viewed as safe and nonaddictive and did not need to be injected, all of which made it very attractive to
Fuzzy processing in transitivity development

We review the literature on the development of transitive reasoning, and note three historical stages. Stage 1 was dominated by the Piagetian idea that transitive inference is logical reasoning in which relationships between adjacent terms figure as premises. Stage 2 was dominated by the information-processing view that memory for relationships between adjacent terms is determinative in transitivity performance. Stage 3 has produced data that are inconsistent with both the logic and memery positions, leading to a new theory that is designed to account for such findings, fuzzy-trace theory. The basic assumption of fuzzytrace theory is that reasoners rely on global patterns, or gist. We describe the tenets of fuzzytrace theory, and explore its implications for different theoretical conceptions of logical competence, concluding that young children possess transitivity competence. We discuss the connection between transitivity competence (cognition) and intransitive preferences (metacognition).
Tactical Underlife: Understanding Student’s Perceptions:

This article describes one urban classroom and the language and literacy practices jointly constructed by a veteran urban teacher, Lynn Gatto, and her 3rd grade students. Drawing from two ethnograp...
Creating Effective After-School Programs for Middle and High School Students:

After-school programs offer great hope for students and communities and significant challenges for those charged with operating them. School administrators will face programmatic, governance, budge...
Pressure and temperature dependences of the elastic properties of rutile (TiO2)

Using ultrasonic techniques we have measured the pressure and temperature dependences of the six elastic constants of single-crystalline rutile (TiO2). The pressure measurements were made in the range 0–20 kbar at room temperature, and the temperature measurements were made in the range 80–300°K at atmospheric pressure. Our results are in good agreement with the results recently reported by Manghnani et al., although our pressure derivatives are generally a few per cent smaller than theirs and our temperature derivatives a few per cent more negative (at 298°K). Nonlinear pressure dependences were observed for some of the elastic constants. A relation between the pressure-induced softening of two lattice modes (one optic and one acoustic) and a possible pressure-induced transition to the CaCl2 structure is discussed. An approximate separation of the isobaric temperature derivatives of the elastic constants into “pure” volume and temperature contributions is considered. In particular, an attempt is made to estimate the magnitude of the error made in effecting this separation using equations applicable to cubic rather than tetragonal symmetry. It is shown that, in principle, these errors could be significant.
Fast Neutron Dose Equivalent Rates in Heavy Ion Target Areas

At heavy ion accelerators, personnel access to areas near the target is sometimes important for successful performance of experiments. Radiation levels determine the amount of time that can be spent in these areas without exceeding maximum permissible exposures. Inasmuch as the fast neutrons contribute the major part of the Rem dose rates in these areas, knowledge of the fast neutron levels is important for planning permissive entry to target areas. We have measured fast neutron dose rates near thick medium mass targets bombarded with beams of C, N, O, and Ne ions. Beam energies ranged from 3 to 16 MeV/ amu. Dose rates (mrem/h) 1 meter from the target 90 degrees from the beam direction range from ~ 0.05 at 3 MeV/amu to ~ 50 at 16 MeV/amu. These data should be helpful in planning permissive entry to heavy ion target areas.
Adsorption of oxygen on steel

A study of the adsorption of oxygen on steel at room temperature has been performed in an ultra-high-vacuum system with oxygen in the pressure range from 10−9 to 10−4 Torr. Ellipsometry, surface potential difference, and Auger spectroscopy were the surface techniques used. The surface of the steel was cleaned by Cs+ and Ar+ bombardment. The mechanism of the adsorption process is postulated to involve adsorption of molecular oxygen, followed by dissociation and chemisorption of atomic oxygen to form one monolayer. Further adsorption on top of this monolayer is associated with a place-exchange process to produce multilayers of oxide.
Community pertussis outbreak: Systems and processes to maximize efficiency

ISSUE: Our community experienced an increase in cases of Bordetella pertussis between June 24 and September 20, 2004. Increased demand for treatment, prophylaxis, and education caused stress on the healthcare system. Communication, tools, and processes were developed or modified to maximize efficiency and effectiveness. PROJECT: Controls were implemented throughout the system with emphasis on outpatient areas, visitors, pediatrics, obstetrics, and neonatal intensive care. Communication between public health, infection control, employee health, pharmacy, and providers was critical for managing the influx of ill, exposed, and worried well. Very early into the outbreak, treatment and prophylaxis algorithms were distributed to providers. Later, a liaison role was created to facilitate communication between case finders and providers. The treatment protocol was revised based on new knowledge regarding erythromycin drug interactions. Ill employees were furloughed for 5 days. A database efficiently organized case and contact information. All outbreak management tools were ready and available in an “outbreak toolbox” file. RESULTS: Masks were worn during 35% of encounters with 43 pertussis-positive patients. Thirty-one employees were exposed during patient care, 25 ill employees were furloughed, and 5 ill employees exposed 147 patients. There were no hospitalizations or nosocomial cases. Employee referrals and prescription costs totaled over $14,000. LESSONS LEARNED: Based on our experience, we would recommend the following: 1) Form a multidisciplinary coordination team early in the outbreak. 2) Have all outbreak tools (i.e., screening, prophylaxis, and education tools) in a central location and ready to use. 3) Provide treatment and prophylaxis algorithms and information to providers on a timely basis. 4) Utilize a pharmacy to distribute prophylaxis and evaluate drug interactions. 5) Implement respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette to minimize transmission of respiratory pathogens. 6) Implement droplet precautions (mask) when examining or collecting respiratory specimens from undiagnosed, coughing patients. 7) Identify ill employees and expedite employee test results. 8) Regularly meet with local public health officials. 9) Exposed patients should be contacted only by trained health professionals. 10) Inform and educate departments exposed to ill co-workers. 11) Utilize a computer database to manage cases and contacts. 12) Facilitate communication between public health officials.
Measurement of spatial distribution of refractive index in tissues by ultrasonic computer assisted tomography

Abstract Computerized tomography is used to calculate two independent images representing distributions of refractive index ( n ) and acoustic attenuation (α) within 1–3 mm thick cross-sections through excised organs, including canine hearts and human breasts. Values of n and α are calculated from profiles of propagation times and amplitudes, respectively, of digitized acoustic pulses obtained by rectilinear transmission scans of the tissue at multiple angles of view. Images of the local speed of ultrasound show high values in regions of muscle, breast parenchyma, medullary carcinoma and connective tissue and show low values in regions of fat. Images of acoustic attenuation show high values in regions of connective tissue and borders of scirrhus carcinoma and low values in regions of fat.
A Risk-Benefit Assessment of Pharmacological Therapies for Hirsutism

In recent years, many new therapeutic regimens for hirsutism have been introduced. This has considerably enlarged the different choices of the physician but at the same time has produced considerable confusion and uncertainty as to what is the best possible therapy for the single patient or for the different pathologies of this condition. This review presents data on the characteristics, adverse effects and effective dosage for the more commonly used drugs for hirsutism. In most patients, low doses of antiandrogens (cyproterone acetate, flutamide or spironolactone) are used with few adverse effects and good results in terms of improvement of the hirsutism. Patients with severe hyperandrogenic hirsutism may require larger doses of antiandrogens. In only a few patients, therapy with agents that primarily reduce androgen secretion (mostly a gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist) is needed. In responsive patients, dexamethasone may be used at low doses (associated with an antiandrogen) to prolong the length of the remission. Finally, agents that inhibit 5α-reductase activity (finasteride) may be used as alternative to low dose antiandrogen therapy but the results are often less satisfactory.
Executive Behavior: An Examination of Selected Studies for Three Decades of Administrative Work Across Organizational Settings, Industries, and Contexts

This study examined administrative work in business, schools, and universities, by using tabular review to compare the findings of selected studies on patterns of behavior. Results of analysis show in spite of differences in organizations and goals, there is considerable similarity in the daily work realities of these executives studied. However, when differences did emerge, they were largely due to the executive's proximity to the operational core. Executives who were closer to the operational core, were less likely to have flexibility and control over their work, than executives who had layers embedded in their organization to shield them from the intensity of the operational core.
Experiment investigates magma in the mantle beneath mid‐ocean ridges

Observations of oceanic ridges from the Mantle Electromagnetic and Tomography Experiment (MELT), the largest coordinated marine geophysical field program ever attempted, promise to distinguish between two competing models of magma generation. Funded by the National Science Foundation as part of the Ridge Interdisciplinary Global Experiments (RIDGE) program, the experiment will increase current understanding of where melt is formed and how it is transported to the ridge crest to form a new crust of seafloor. The lack of direct, subsurface observations of the melt production region has led to the development of two classes of models that describe the nature of upwelling and melting beneath spreading centers (Figure 1). In passive flow models, viscous drag from the separating plates induces a broad zone of upwelling, with melt produced over a region that may be 100 km or more across. From this melt area, the magma migrates horizontally to a narrow zone at the ridge axis. In models of dynamic flow, in contrast, the buoyancy from retained melt within the mantle matrix, depletion of the mantle, and lower viscosity within the upwelling zone combine to focus upwelling and melting into a narrow zone perhaps only a few kilometers across. In dynamic models, melt transport is primarily vertical, without the horizontal component required by passive models.
TANF: What Went Wrong and What to Do Next

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, widely heralded as the "end to welfare as we know it," is in its sixth year of implementation. According to many, the welfare debate has been settled, and both legislators and the public have proclaimed the program a success. This article examines the accumulated data on the effect of welfare reform, which shows, contrary to popular opinion, the goal of self-sufficiency remains elusive for many, and poor women and their families are being hurt, not helped, by TANF. It is argued that the booming economy and consequent expanding labor market have led to the perceived success of TANF and that the optimism expressed about dwindling welfare rolls is misplaced. The failure of TANF to adequately address obstacles to self-sufficiency in the workplace threatens to create an even worse welfare problem in the future. During the TANF evaluation period, social workers are urged to take a more active role in urging TANF modifications.
Effects of depression, cigarette smoking, and age on monoamine oxidase B in amygdaloid nuclei

Altered concentrations of dopamine transporter and D2/D3 receptors have been observed in the amygdaloid complex of subjects with major depression. These findings are suggestive of neurochemical abnormalities in the limbic dopamine system in depression. Monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) is a key enzyme in the catabolism of biogenic amines, including dopamine, and alterations in this enzyme may underlie dopaminergic abnormalities associated with depression. The specific binding of [3H]lazabemide to MAO-B was measured in the right amygdaloid complex of 15 major depressive subjects and 16 psychiatrically normal controls. Subjects of the two study groups were matched as close as possible for age, sex, and postmortem interval. Examination of the regional distribution of MAO-B revealed lower [3H]lazabemide binding to MAO-B in the lateral and basal nuclei of the amygdala and higher binding in the medial nucleus. A modest elevation in binding to MAO-B observed in all amygdaloid nuclei in major depressive subjects as compared to control subjects failed to reach statistical significance. A significant decrease in binding to MAO-B was observed when cigarette smokers were compared to nonsmoking subjects. The amount of MAO-B binding positively correlated with the age of subjects in all nuclei investigated. A decreased amount of MAO-B in smokers further validates the pharmacological effect of tobacco smoke on this enzyme.