cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
WE-E-BRE-09: Investigation of the Association Between Radiation-Induced Pain and Radiation Dose in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

Purpose: Patients with head and neck cancer who undergo radiotherapy often experience several undesirable side-effects, including xerostomia, trismus, and pain in the head and neck area, but little is know about the dose-volume predictors of such pain. We investigated the association between radiation dose and both throat and esophagus pain during radiotherapy. Methods: We analyzed 124 head and neck patients who received radiotherapy at the Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis. For these patients, weekly PROs were recorded, including 16 pain and anatomical location questions. In addition, 17 observational symptoms were recorded. Patients were asked to describe their pain at each site according to a four-level scale: none (0), mild (1), moderate (2), and severe (3). We explored the association between throat pain and the mean dose received in oral cavity and between esophageal pain and the mean dose received in the esophagus. The severity of pain was determined by the difference between the baseline (week 1) pain score and the maximum pain score during treatment. The baseline pain score was defined as the first available pain score before receiving 10 Gy because radiotherapy pain originates later during treatment. Dose-volume metrics were extracted from treatment plans using CERR. To evaluate the correlation between pain and radiation dose, Spearman's correlation coefficient (Rs) was used. Results: The associations between throat pain and the mean dose to the oral cavity, and between esophagus pain and the mean dose to the esophagus, were both statistically significant, with Rs=0.320 (p=0.003) and Rs=0.424 (p<0.0001), respectively. Mean dose, for each structure, was a better predictor of pain than total integral dose. Conclusion: We demonstrated that pain during radiotherapy in head and neck patients highly correlates with the dose delivered. We will further investigate the association between other pain locations and relevant normal tissue dose characteristics.
Judging a book by its cover: Interpretative effects of content on problem-solving transfer

We examine how cover stories of isomorphic problems affect transfer. Existing models posit that people retain content in problem representations and that similarities and differences between the “undeleted” cover stories might interfere with recognition of structural similarities.We propose that cover stories can affect transfer in another way—by inducing semantic knowledge that modifies problem structures. Two experiments examined how people represent and solve permutation problems dealing with random assignment of elements from one set to elements from another set. Although the problems were structurally isomorphic, cover stories involving different pairs of element sets led subjects to abstract different “interpreted structures.” Problems involving objects and people (e.g., prizes and students) led subjects to abstract an asymmetric structure (“get”) and problems involving similar sets of people (e.g., doctors and doctors) led subjects to abstract a symmetric structure (“pair”). Transfer was mediated by similarities and differences between the interpreted structures of the learned and the novel problems.
Noise figure of amplified dispersive Fourier transformation

Amplified dispersive Fourier transformation (ADFT) is a powerful tool for fast real-time spectroscopy as it overcomes the limitations of traditional optical spectrometers. ADFT maps the spectrum of an optical pulse into a temporal waveform using group-velocity dispersion and simultaneously amplifies it in the optical domain. It greatly simplifies spectroscopy by replacing the diffraction grating and detector array in the conventional spectrometer with a dispersive fiber and single-pixel photodetector, enabling ultrafast real-time spectroscopic measurements. Following our earlier work on the theory of ADFT, here we study the effect of noise on ADFT. We derive the noise figure of ADFT and discuss its dependence on various parameters.
Transmyocardial Revascularization: Peril and Potential

Transmyocardial laser revascularization is a technique for the treatment of patients with chronic angina pectoris that is refractory to medical therapy and who are not eligible for surgical intervention. Percutaneous myocardial revascularization is a less-invasive catheter-based procedure that has been adapted from transmyocardial laser revascularization. Six prospective randomized clinical trials have been performed with transmyocardial laser revascularization and 5 have been performed using percutaneous myocardial revascularization. All of the transmyocardial laser revascularization and 4 of the percutaneous myocardial revascularization studies showed a significant improvement in angina class; however, results for improved survival, increased exercise tolerance, improved ejection fraction, and improved myocardial perfusion were less definitive. Transmyocardial laser revascularization has significant potential for morbidity and mortality. This article summarizes the results of the randomized trials, explains the current theories for the mechanism of transmyocardial laser revascularization, and discusses its current role in treatment for patients, considering the evidence that currently exists.
Ethics in Finance

Preface to the First Edition. Preface to the Second Edition. Acknowledgments. Abbreviations. 1. Financial Ethics: An Overview. The Need for Ethics in Finance. Ethics and Financial Markets. The Financial Services Industry. Individuals in Organizations. 2. Theoretical Perspectives in Finance. Equity and Efficiency. Fiduciaries, Agents, and Professionals. Agency Theory. Conflict of Interest. 3. Ethical Issues in Financial Services. Sales Practices. Churning, Twisting, and Flipping. Arbitration. Personal Trading. Mutual Funds. 4. Ethical Issues in Investment Decisions. Bank Lending Practices. Socially Responsible Investing. Relationship Investing. Investment and the New Finance. 5. Ethics in Financial Markets. Insider and Program Trading. The Ethics of Bankruptcy. Hostile Takeovers. 6. The Financial Theory of The Firm. Traditional Theories. The Contractual Theory. The Objective of the Firm. The Stakeholder Challenge. Index
The present and future of cerebral tumor surgery in children.

Cerebral hemisphere tumors are less common than posterior fossa tumors in children, but are still important among childhood tumors. At the present time, many are low grade and can be treated satisfactorily with modern surgical techniques. These techniques include image- guided surgery in the conventional operating room, brain mapping, and surgery in the intraoperative MRI. Technical sophistication is the chief characteristic of present approaches to cerebral cortical tumors. In the future, surgery for these tumors will require both technical and biological sophistication. Malignant cerebral tumors are invasive and heterogeneous and require new understandings of biology to develop effective treatments. These biological understandings will be added to sophisticated surgical techniques for surgical resection, perhaps with local delivery methods.
An all-glass microfluidic cell for the ABEL trap: fabrication and modeling

The Anti-Brownian Electrophoretic trap (ABEL trap) allows a user to trap and manipulate individual fluorescent molecules in solution. The heart of the ABEL trap is a microfluidic cell. In previous incarnations of the ABEL trap, the microfluidic cell was formed from a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamp and a glass coverslip. Here we present an improved microfluidic cell, made entirely out of glass. This new design significantly decreases the rate of photobleaching, which previously limited the time that a single molecule could be trapped. Chemical modifications to the surface of the cell prevent adsorption and allow one to control the balance between electroosmotic and electrophoretic forces. The depth of the trapping region in the cell can be adjusted to allow trapping of different-sized objects.
Genome-Wide Transcriptional Analysis of Genes Associated with Acute Desiccation Stress in Anopheles gambiae

Malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa varies seasonally in intensity. Outbreaks of malaria occur after the beginning of the rainy season, whereas, during the dry season, reports of the disease are less frequent. Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes, the main malaria vector, are observed all year long but their densities are low during the dry season that generally lasts several months. Aestivation, seasonal migration, and local adaptation have been suggested as mechanisms that enable mosquito populations to persist through the dry season. Studies of chromosomal inversions have shown that inversions 2La, 2Rb, 2Rc, 2Rd, and 2Ru are associated with various physiological changes that confer aridity resistance. However, little is known about how phenotypic plasticity responds to seasonally dry conditions. This study examined the effects of desiccation stress on transcriptional regulation in An. gambiae. We exposed female An. gambiae G3 mosquitoes to acute desiccation and conducted a genome-wide analysis of their transcriptomes using the Affymetrix Plasmodium/Anopheles Genome Array. The transcription of 248 genes (1.7% of all transcripts) was significantly affected in all experimental conditions, including 96 with increased expression and 152 with decreased expression. In general, the data indicate a reduction in the metabolic rate of mosquitoes exposed to desiccation. Transcripts accumulated at higher levels during desiccation are associated with oxygen radical detoxification, DNA repair and stress responses. The proportion of transcripts within 2La and 2Rs (2Rb, 2Rc, 2Rd, and 2Ru) (67/248, or 27%) is similar to the percentage of transcripts located within these inversions (31%). These data may be useful in efforts to elucidate the role of chromosomal inversions in aridity tolerance. The scope of application of the anopheline genome demonstrates that examining transcriptional activity in relation to genotypic adaptations greatly expands the number of candidate regions involved in the desiccation response in this important malaria vector.
In Vitro Evaluation of Antiproliferative Potential of Topical Cyclo-oxygenase Inhibitors in Human Tenon's Fibroblasts

Abstract Pharmacologic agents which inhibit fibroblast proliferation and scar formation may improve the success of glaucoma filtration surgery. To evaluate the potential use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as an antifibrotic treatment following glaucoma filtration surgery, the time and dose-related effects of four commonly used topical cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors—diclofenac, flurbiprofen, piroxicam, and suprofen—on human Tenon's fibroblast attachment and proliferation were studied. Fibroblasts were incubated with different concentrations of a drug and analysed for dose response 1, 3, and 8 days following drug addition. The cell density was quantified by Coulter counting, hexosaminidase assay, and [ 3 H]thymidine uptake into the DNA. All four drugs inhibited fibroblast attachment at the highest concentrations. Diclofenac was the most effective agent in inhibiting fibroblast proliferation, with inhibition occurring at a range of concentrations above 10 -3 -10 -4 mmol I -1 . Flurbiprofen, piroxicam, and suprofen were comparable to each other in their antiproliferative activities, with inhibition occurring at a range of concentrations above 10 -1 -10 -2 mmol I-1. These results suggest a potential role for the commonly used topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in preventing excessive fibroblast proliferation following GFS, but further clinical studies are indicated to assess their activity as anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative agents in preventing bleb failure.
Genetic analysis of the glutathione s-transferase genes MGST1, GSTM3, GSTT1, and GSTM1 in patients with hereditary pancreatitis.

Background Specific mutations in the cationic trypsinogen gene (PRSS1) are disease-causing in patients with hereditary pancreatitis, but the genetic background still remains mysterious in about 40% of patients with the disease. It has been suggested that oxidative stress contributes to pancreatic damage. The glutathione s-transferases (GSTs) represent major detoxification enzymes that protect cells from oxidative stress.
Complementation analysis of the dales collection of vaccinia virus temperature-sensitive mutants.

Abstract A collection of randomly generated temperature-sensitive (ts) vaccinia virus (strain IHD-W) mutants were reported by S. Dales et al., (1978, Virology , 84, 403–428) in 1978 and characterized by electron microscopy. We have performed further genetic analysis on the Dales collection of mutants to make the mutants more useful to the scientific community. We obtained the entire Dales collection, 97 mutants, from the American Type Culture Center (ATCC). All 97 mutants were grown and reassessed for temperature sensitivity. Of these, 16 mutants were either very leaky or showed unacceptably high reversion indices even after plaque purification and therefore were not used for further analysis. The remaining 81 ts mutants were used to perform a complete complementation analysis with each other and the existing Condit collection of ts vaccinia virus (strain WR) mutants. Twenty-two of these 81 Dales mutants were dropped during complementation analysis due to erratic or weak behavior in the complementation test. Of the 59 mutants that were fit for further investigation, 30 fall into 13 of Condit's existing complementation groups, 5 comprise 3 previously identified complementation groups independent of the Condit collection, and 24 comprise 18 new complementation groups. The 59 mutants which were successfully characterized by complementation will be accessioned by and made available to the scientific community through the ATCC.
Acute effects of N-methyl-DL-aspartate on the release of pituitary gonadotropins and prolactin in the adult female rhesus monkey.

Abstract The acute effects of an aspartic acid analogue, N-methyl- dl -aspartate (NMA), upon the release of several anterior pituitary hormones were examined in adult female rhesus monkeys. Intravenous injection of NMA (15 mg/kg body weight) induced a large and rapid rise in plasma levels of luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, and prolactin. Thyroid stimulating hormone concentrations were not altered. Thus, in primates, as in rodents, systemically administered NMA is capable of eliciting pituitary hormone secretion, although the site of its action in the rhesus monkey remains to be established.
Sampling and reconstruction of signals in a reproducing kernel subspace of Lp(Rd)

In this paper, we consider sampling and reconstruction of signals in a reproducing kernel subspace of Lp(Rd), 1⩽p⩽∞, associated with an idempotent integral operator whose kernel has certain off-diagonal decay and regularity. The space of p-integrable non-uniform splines and the shift-invariant spaces generated by finitely many localized functions are our model examples of such reproducing kernel subspaces of Lp(Rd). We show that a signal in such reproducing kernel subspaces can be reconstructed in a stable way from its samples taken on a relatively-separated set with sufficiently small gap. We also study the exponential convergence, consistency, and the asymptotic pointwise error estimate of the iterative approximation–projection algorithm and the iterative frame algorithm for reconstructing a signal in those reproducing kernel spaces from its samples with sufficiently small gap.
The IL-1 type 1 receptor is required for the development of LPS-induced airways disease.

Background The contribution of IL-1β signaling through the IL-1 type 1 receptor (IL-1R1) to the development of persistent LPS-induced airway disease has not been investigated. Objective To determine the importance of signaling through the IL-1 type 1 receptor in the development of LPS-induced airway disease. Methods We exposed IL-1R1–deficient (C57BL/6 IL-1RI–/– ) mice to an aerosol of LPS or filtered air for 1 day, 1 week, or 4 weeks. Results After 4 weeks of LPS inhalation, C57BL/6 IL-1RI–/– mice failed to develop significant submucosal thickening, whereas C57BL/6 mice had significantly thickened submucosa in small, medium, and large airways compared with those of unexposed control mice. Cell proliferation in the airways of both the 1-week and 4-week LPS-exposed C57BL/6 IL-1RI–/– mice was significantly reduced compared with LPS-exposed C57BL/6 mice. mRNA for type III α-3 procollagen was significantly elevated over baseline in C57BL/6 yet remained unchanged compared with baseline in C57BL/6 IL-1RI–/– mice after 1 week or 4 weeks of LPS inhalation. mRNA for tissue inhibitor of metalloprotease 1 in C57BL/6 mice in the 1-week and 4-week groups was significantly elevated over both control mice and C57BL/6 IL-1RI–/– mice. Conclusion These data support the hypothesis that signaling through the IL-1 receptor modulates extracellular matrix homeostasis in response to inhaled LPS. Clinical implications Attenuating IL-1R1–mediated signaling might be an effective therapy against the development of airway remodeling in chronic inflammatory diseases.
Depth of associated activation in the cerebral hemispheres: Mediated versus direct priming

This study investigated the depth of associative activation in the cerebral hemispheres. Semantic priming was assessed for direct (WATER-DRINK) and indirect (mediated: SOAP-DRINK) associates presented to the left and right visual fields across stimulus-onset-asychronies (SOAs) of 50, 250 and 750 msec. Priming for both the direct and indirect associates was found in both visual fields at all SOAs. Our results imply that activation via associated relations in semantic memory is early and extensive in both hemispheres. We relate our findings to the previous suggestion [5, 9, 14] that meaning activation is more narrow in the left hemisphere (LH) than in the right hemisphere (RH).
Experimental and Theoretical Study on Aeroelastic Response of High-Aspect-Ratio Wings

An experimental high-aspect-ratio wing aeroelastic model with a slender body at the tip has been constructed, and the response due to flutter and limit-cycle oscillations (LCO) has been measured in a wind-tunnel test. A theoretical model has been developed and calculations made to correlate with the experimental data. Structural equations of motion based on nonlinear beam theory are combined with the ONERA aerodynamic stall model to study the effects of geometric structural nonlinearity and steady angle of attack on flutter and LCO of high-aspect-ratio wings. Static deformations in the vertical and torsional directions caused by a steady angle of attack and gravity are measured, and results from theory and experiment are compared. A dynamic perturbation analysis about a nonlinear static equilibrium is used to determine the small perturbation flutter boundary, which is compared to the experimentally determined flutter velocity and oscillation frequency. Time simulation is used to compute the LCO response. The results between the theory and experiment are in good agreement for static aeroelastic response, the onset of flutter, and dynamic LCO amplitude and frequency.
Encountering new spaces: Teachers developing voice within a professional development school

This 18-month ethnographic study provides a snapshot of teachers’ use of space and voice as they work in a newly formed Professional Development School (PDS) committed to shared responsibility for ...
Localization of 125I-insulin binding sites in the rat hypothalamus by quantitative autoradiography

In vitro autoradiography and computer video densitometry were used to localize and quantify binding of 125I-insulin in the hypothalamus of the rat brain. Highest specific binding was found in the arcuate, dorsomedial, suprachiasmatic, paraventricular and periventricular regions. Significantly lower binding was present in the ventromedial nucleus and median eminence. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that insulin modulates the neural regulation of feeding by acting at sites in the hypothalamus.
Strain-induced phase transformation under compression in a diamond anvil cell: Simulations of a sample and gasket

Combined high pressure phase transformations (PTs) and plastic flow in a sample within a gasket compressed in diamond anvil cell (DAC) are studied for the first time using finite element method. The key point is that phase transformations are modelled as strain-induced, which involves a completely different kinetic description than for traditional pressure-induced PTs. The model takes into account, contact sliding with Coulomb and plastic friction at the boundaries between the sample, gasket, and anvil. A comprehensive computational study of the effects of the kinetic parameter, ratio of the yield strengths of high and low-pressure phases and the gasket, sample radius, and initial thickness on the PTs and plastic flow is performed. A new sliding mechanism at the contact line between the sample, gasket, and anvil called extrusion-based pseudoslip is revealed, which plays an important part in producing high pressure. Strain-controlled kinetics explains why experimentally determined phase transformation pressure and kinetics (concentration of high pressure phase vs. pressure) differ for different geometries and properties of the gasket and the sample: they provide different plastic strain, which was not measured. Utilization of the gasket changes radial plastic flow toward the center of a sample, which leads to high quasi-homogeneous pressure for some geometries. For transformation to a stronger high pressure phase, plastic strain and concentration of a high-pressure phase are also quasi-homogeneous. This allowed us to suggest a method of determining strain-controlled kinetics from experimentation, which is not possible for weaker and equal-strength high-pressure phases and cases without a gasket. Some experimental phenomena are reproduced and interpreted. Developed methods and obtained results represent essential progress toward the understanding of PTs under compression in the DAC. This will allow one optimal design of experiments and conditions for synthesis of new high pressure phases.
Plant demographic responses to mycorrhizal symbiosis in tallgrass prairie.

The effects of mycorrhizal symbiosis on seedling emergence, flowering and densities of several grasses and forbs were assessed in native tallgrass prairie and in sown garden populations at the Konza Prairie in northeastern Kansas. Mycorrhizal activity was experimentally suppressed with the fungicide benomyl. Flowering and stem densities of the cool-season grass, Dichanthelium oligosanthes, sedges (Carex spp.), and the forb Aster ericoides were higher in non-mycorrhizal (benomyl-treated) than in mycorrhizal plots and the magnitude of these differences was significantly affected by burning. Mycorrhizae significantly enhanced flowering of the warmseason grasses Andropogon gerardii and Sorghastrum nutans in burned prairie, but not in unburned sites. These patterns suggest that mycorrhizal effects on the dynamics of cool-season graminoid and forb populations are likely to be mediated indirectly through effects of the symbiosis on the competitive dominance of their neighbors. Seedling emergence rates of the cool-season C3 grasses Elymus canadensis and Koeleria cristata were significantly reduced in the benomyl-treated plots, whereas benomyl treatment had no significant effect on seedling emergence of the warm-season C4 grasses A. gerardii and Panicum virgatum. The forbs showed variable responses. Seedling emergence of Liatris aspera was greater under mycorrhizal conditions, but that of Dalea purpurea was unaffected by mycorrhizal treatment. These results show that effects of mycorrhizal symbiosis on the population dynamics of co-occurring prairie plants vary significantly both among species and among different life history stages within species. The results also indicate that mycorrhizas and fire interact to influence competitive interactions and demographic patterns of tallgrass prairie plant populations.
Precocious Puberty: A Comprehensive Review of Literature

Context Precocious puberty currently affects 1 in 5,000 children and is 10 times more common in girls. Statistics indicate that girls in the United States are maturing at an earlier age than they did 30 years ago and the number of girls with diagnosed precocious puberty (the appearance of secondary sex characteristics before 8 years of age or the onset of menarche before age 9) is on the rise. A summary of the growing body of literature on this topic is necessary to inform nurses and other health care providers of the current trends and incidence of precocious puberty to better meet the physical and psychosocial needs of these girls and their families. Methods EBSCOhost Research Databases that included CINAHL Plus, Health Source: Nursing Edition, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Women's Studies International were searched for journal articles published in the past 10 years (1997‐2006) that explicitly examined precocious puberty in females and proposed theories to describe the phenomenon. Search terms included precocious puberty, sexual maturation, menarche, and secondary sex characteristics. These terms were searched individually and in combination with proximate determinants such as endocrine disruptors, environmental toxins, phthalates, stress, skin care, genetics, age, ethnicity, obesity, and assisted reproduction. The search yielded 947 articles addressing this issue. Results Eighty‐two studies or case reports met the criteria for inclusion in this literature review that captured six attributable causes of early sexual maturation in female children. These included genetic, ethnic, and pediatric obesity, as well as environmental toxins that disrupt endocrine function (chemicals, toxins, plasticizers, infant feeding methods, skin and hair products, assisted reproductive technologies), psychosocial stress, and early exposure to a sexualized society. The robustness of the reports varied and few of the studies were widely generalizable but did offer suggestions for assessment and nursing care. Conclusions Precocious puberty has health and social implications that are complex and influenced by multiple factors. Further research is needed to expand and elucidate theoretical relationships between the early development of secondary sex characteristics in young girls and the proposed causative factors.JOGNN, 36, 263‐274; 2007. DOI: 10.1111/J.1552‐6909.2007.00145.x
OD APPLICATIONS IN DEVELOPMENTAL SETTINGS: AN ADDENDUM ABOUT SUCCESS RATES

Evaluative studies of OD applications 1950–86 generated an earlier panel of 100 applications with a substantial success rate, and this article reports that extending the period of observation in economically‐developing countries does not require substantive modification of that estimate. Additional cases were sought during the 1987–1993 interval, to augment the 30‐plus year period underlaying the original panel. The augmented panel has been enlarged by approximately 20 percent—from 100 to 121 cases of applications.
Optoelectronic Oscillator Using Injection-Locked VCSELs

In this paper, a novel optical injection-locked optoelectronic oscillator (OIL OEO) leveraging the high frequency and high gain resonance peak of an OIL VCSEL (vertical cavity surface emitting laser) is proposed. A pure radio frequency (RF) signal at 20 GHz with phase noise performance of 20 dB better than a commercial RF synthesizer is also demonstrated.
NITRIC OXIDE FROM BOTH INDUCIBLE AND CONSTITUTIVE SYNTHASES REGULATES THE TONE OF FETAL RAT CRANIAL MESENTERIC ARTERY. † 684

Nitric oxide (NO) contributes to the regulation of the fetal rat great vessels caliber. Inhibition of both NO synthases (constitutive, cNOS, and inducible, iNOS) or iNOS selectively resulted in significant reduction of the central vessels and ductus arteriosus caliber in utero. Similar regulation by NO of the cranial mesenteric artery (CMA) tone was the aim of this study. Dams were treated with a non-selective NOS inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a selective iNOS inhibitor L-NG-(1-Iminoethyl)lysine (L-NIL), the NOS inducer, lipopolysaccharide(LPS), and the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) compared to a group of undisturbed animals (Control) N=7 all groups. On day 21 of gestation fetuses were obtained by cesarean section under anesthesia and rapidly frozen. Cryostat sections were used to measure diameters of the CMA on microscope generated images using a computer software with a built in electronic caliper. The measurements were averaged to obtain a mean diameter. The fetal CMA diameter (control 382±18.8 μm) was significantly narrowed by L-NAME(232±5.9 μm) and even more so by L-NIL (189±9.3 μm), while both LPS (472±13.7 μm) and SNP (581±26.0 μm) dilated the CMA (ANOVA < 0.0001). All group means were different from the others by multiple pairwise comparison p <0.05. Conclusions: Nitrergic control of the CMA diameter is evident. Nitric oxide from iNOS, appears to play a significant role in fetal vascular tone in contrast to the adult where iNOS has only been implicated in pathophysiological states like septic shock.
Impact of a colon and rectal surgeon on a general surgery residency training program.

PURPOSE: Most general surgery residents obtain scant exposure to anorectal disease during training. The aim of this study was to determine whether adding a colon and rectal surgeon to the faculty of a general surgery training program improves the amount or quality of the anorectal surgical experience. METHODS: The surgical experience of all graduating residents from our university teaching program was reviewed during a ten-year period. Complete case data were obtained from the Residency Review Committee for surgery. The total small-intestine, colon and anorectal caseload was analyzed during the five-year period preceding the arrival of the colon and rectal surgeon and compared with the subsequent five-year period after the surgeon's arrival. RESULTS: There was a substantial increase in small-intestine (470vs. 306) and anorectal cases (462vs. 338). There was a particularly dramatic increase in anorectal cases performed during the chief resident year (159vs. 36), which held true for all categories of anorectal cases. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of a full-time colon and rectal surgeon to a university general surgery residency program was associated with an increase in small-intestine and especially anorectal cases. However, most striking was the greater than fourfold increase in the number of anorectal cases performed during the chief resident year. This seems to reflect an increase in complexity of anorectal cases and an increased interest in anorectal surgery among general surgery residents.
Naturalism and normativity

Simon Blackburn can be seen as challenging those committed to sui generis moral facts to explain the supervenience of the moral on the descriptive. We (like perhaps Derek Parfit) hold that normative facts in general are sui generis. We also hold that the normative supervenes on the descriptive, and we here endeavour to answer the generalization of Blackburn's challenge. In the course of pursuing this answer, we suggest that Frank Jackson's descriptivism rests on a conception of properties inappropriate to discussions of normativity, and we see reason to reject descriptivism generally. We also discuss the views of David Brink, Jonathan Dancy and Bernard Williams in this area.
Flow of water through granular materials—initial experiments with lead-shot

While it is well known that granular materials in ground-water-bearing strata are not composed of uniform spheres, it is believed that further work under simplified conditions with material such as lead-shot will be useful to those who from necessity make observations on complex mixtures of naturally deposited porous materials. The preliminary work reported here was done in the University of California Hydraulic Laboratory by the writer for the Agricultural Experiment Station, by arrangement between the Division of Irrigation Investigations and Practice, College of Agriculture, and the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California. A more detailed report of the work done was included in a thesis presented to Stanford University in June 1933. Professor M. P. O'Brien, in charge of the University of California Hydraulic Laboratory, was interested in the problem before the arrangements to use equipment in the laboratory were made. Professor O'Brien's translation of an unpublished manuscript which described work done under the direction of Dr. Erik Lindquist in the Hydraulic Laboratory of the Royal Technical University, Stockholm, was very helpful. Following completion of the thesis in which these initial experiments with lead-shot were described, Lindquist's paper appeared with several changes and additions, as a communication to the First Congress on High Dams, Stockholm, and has become available recently in the Transactions of the World Power Conference.
The formation of bifurcated charge transfer complexes with molecular iodine

Abstract I 2 complexes with triptycene and several di- and triaryl derivatives of methane and ethane were studied. For these complexes the values of λ CT are virtually identical to those reported for the complexes with the analogous monoaryl donors, while the values of λ for their blue shifted I 2 peaks are significantly lower than those for the monoaryl complexes. Both the equilibrium constants and - ΔH 0 values for the formation of complexes from the components lead to the conclusion that the complexes with the di- and triaryl compounds are more stable than those with the monoaryl donors. For the diaryl donors, the Δ S 0 298 values for complex formation are less favorable than those of the monoaryl donors. The dipole moment for I 2 in diphenylmethane is larger than the moment of I 2 in toluene. All of these observations can be explained by taking into account the transannular effect of one aromatic ring on another and viewing the complexes as bifurcated ones in which the I atom at one end of an I 2 molecule simultaneously interacts with two rings in the donor molecules.
Influence of afterbodies on AOTV flows

The role of vibration-dissociation coupling in flows representative of AOTV's with afterbodies is considered. The physical model employed is motivated by the recent work of Sharma, Huo and Park. In this model each diatomic species is assumed to consist of two subspecies depending on the vibrational state of the molecule. Only molecules in the upper states are allowed to dissociate. The model is incorporated into the direct simulation Monte Carlo method of Bird and used to calculate steady flows past two geometries: a 5' blunt wedge and the project Fire configuration. Five chemical species are considered. It is shown that the new model results in reduced dissociation. Moreover, the convective heating rate increases for a finite catalytic wall and is essentially the same for a fully catalytic wall. Finally, for the conditions studied , the effect of the afterbody on the pressure distribution, heat transfer and skin friction is minimal.
Brazing techniques for side-coupled electron accelerator structures

The collaboration between the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the National Bureau of Standards (NBS), started in 1979, has led to the development of an advanced cw microtron accelerator design. The four 2380-MHz NBS accelerating structures, containing a total of 184 accelerating cavities, have been fabricated and delivered. New fabrication methods, coupled with refinements of hydrogen-furnace brazing techniques described in this paper, allow efficient production of side-coupled structures. Success with the NBS RTM led to Los Alamos efforts on similar 2450-MHz accelerators for the microtron accelerator operated by the Nuclear Physics Department of the University of Illinois. Two accelerators (each with 17 cavities) have been fabricated; in 1986, a 45-cavity accelerator is being fabricated by private industry with some assistance from Los Alamos. Further private industry experience and refinement of the described fabrication techniques may allow future accelerators of this type to be completely fabricated by private industry.
Decidability for branching time

The species of indeterminist tense logic called ‘Peircean’ by A. N. Prior is proved to be recursively decidable.
Computer Audio-Recorded Interviewing as a Tool for Survey Research

Developers must understand the needs of user populations and the potential benefits of the new software to them, so that the development team can create an effective system. Especially for applications employed outside the computing profession, it is important for the software team to learn context and workflow and to understand the value that their development work will bring to the users. This article discusses design and implementation considerations for computer audio-recorded interviewing (CARI), a method coming into widespread use for survey research in the social sciences. When implemented as part of the data collection process, CARI allows a survey manager to listen to the exact circumstances of how questions were asked and answered during the interview, a much more powerful approach than prior indirect methods of quality control and improvement. Design considerations can be complex when planning an integrated system. Based on a decade of experience and prior implementation of several distinct CARI systems, this article explores a part of the operational world of survey research from the eye of the system developer. It offers context for those developers who are unfamiliar with survey research or for anyone who is unfamiliar with CARI operations. Discussion focuses on benefits, requirements, user goals, system design challenges, and options.
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) to restore cough in spinal cord injury (SCI) subjects: Long-term follow-up

Background: SCS has been shown to restore an effective cough mechanism in SCI subjects. Objective: To re-assess the clinical parameters related to use of the cough system in subjects who have had the implant for a minimum of 2 years (mean 4.6±0.6 years), well beyond the period of close follow-up. Outcome Measures: Maximum airway pressure generation (P) and other clinical assessments related to secretion management. Results: Each subject continued to use the device on a regular, usually daily, basis. Pre-implant P was 28±5cmH2O. During SCS, P were 103±20 and 108±23cmH2O at the 1 year and mean 4.60 year follow-up points, respectively (p<0.05 compared to pre-implant and NS when compared to 1 year follow-up during SCS).There were significant improvements in each of the measures related to airway clearance, and the need for alternative methods of secretion removal was virtually eliminated in each subject. The need for trained caregivers to provide other means of secretion management and the incidence of respiratory tract infections remained significantly below the pre-implant values (p<0.05). All subjects reported reduce anxiety and embarrassment related to secretion clearance, greater mobility and consequent improvement in social interaction and improvement in overall life quality. Conclusion: Subjects continued to use the system on a long-term basis beyond the period of close follow-up and to continued derive significant clinical benefits. Support: NIH: NIH-NINDS (R01NS049516 and RC1NS068576), NCRR (M01RR0080 and UL1RR024989). Disclosure: Dr. DiMarco is a Founder of and has a significant financial interest in Synapse BioMedical, Inc, a manufacturer of diaphragm pacing systems.
Symplectic fixed points and holomorphic spheres

LetP be a symplectic manifold whose symplectic form, integrated over the spheres inP, is proportional to its first Chern class. On the loop space ofP, we consider the variational theory of the symplectic action function perturbed by a Hamiltonian term. In particular, we associate to each isolated invariant set of its gradient flow an Abelian group with a cyclic grading. It is shown to have properties similar to the homology of the Conley index in locally compact spaces. As an application, we show that if the fixed point set of an exact diffeomorphism onP is nondegenerate, then it satisfies the Morse inequalities onP. We also discuss fixed point estimates for general exact diffeomorphisms.
Quantitative features of the stretch response of extrinsic finger muscles in hemiparetic stroke

Despite its potential importance in hand dysfunction, spasticity in the finger muscles following stroke has not been well described. To explore this area, we assessed the role of finger flexor spasticity, along with that of passive mechanical forces, in resisting finger movement in 13 chronic stroke subjects. Subjects were tested with a device that stretched the extrinsic finger muscles through imposed rotation of the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints. Both maintained and constant-velocity stretches were imposed. For the constant-velocity stretches, eight of the 13 stroke subjects exhibited strong stretch reflexes, as determined by electromyography and net work. The net work of this reflex response, calculated from the integral of the torque-angle plots, increased proportionally with increasing velocity, indicating a contribution from flexor muscle spasticity. Conversely, nine of the 13 stroke subjects did not possess distinctly greater passive, mechanical resistance to MCP rotation than control subjects. While extensor spasticity was not observed, stretch of the extrinsic finger flexors also produced some reflex activity in the finger extensors concomitant with reflex excitation of the flexors. These findings suggest that resistance to muscle stretching following stoke is mediated primarily by neurological rather than biomechanical disturbances, although changes in muscle fiber length may exaggerate the resistance.
The Use of Videotape Recordings to Increase Teacher Trainees' Error Detection Skills

The study evaluated the extent that error detection training (the combination of videotape recordings, slides, textual materials, and class discussions) altered teacher trainees' recognition of specific string techniques or errors, as opposed to the teaching setting in which students used the entire class session to conduct the string orchestra. The data indicated that both error detection training and in-class conducting increased the trainees' recognition of both errors and appropriate string usage. Additional analysis indicated that the error detection training class performed at significantly higher levels than the other group, as measured on the error detection test.
Identification of conserved structural features at sequentially degenerate locations in transcription factor binding sites.

Many locations within transcription factor binding sites are not sequentially conserved and appear to be degenerate. We hypothesize that some of these positions contain essential structural codes that are recognized by the transcription factors that bind to them. The structural codes can be deflned by base-pair step parameters that describe the relative displacement and orientation of two adjacent base pairs in a nucleic acid structure. We have developed a method, Identiflcation of Conserved Structural Features (ICSF), which uses base-pair step parameters obtained from a collection of high-resolution DNA crystal structures to discover structural conservation that exists in the sequentially degenerate areas within a binding site and produce proflles of the structural features along the entire site. We have focused our study on the transcription factor binding sites in the JASPAR database and have found that one-third (P-value ‚ 0.05) of the binding sites contain sequentially degenerate locations with highly conserved structural features as described by the base-pair step parameters. These results will help us to gain a better understanding of the process by which transcription factors recognize their binding sites and possibly lead to an improvement in our ability to flnd these sites in genomic sequences.
Recognizing need: the analysis of qualitative data to inform Web site design

In some domains, user-centered design practitioners have little or no direct access to the users themselves. This project faced just such a challenge. Our goal was to develop a Web site to help engineering faculty respond effectively to teaching-related concerns, without having direct contact with this user group. In order to develop a relevant and useful Web site, we worked with a subject matter expert (SME) to obtain information about individual members of the target user group. This paper describes a four-stage approach to data collection and analysis, which is yielding design principles specific to the needs of the niche audience.
Ambient ozone effects on forest trees of the eastern United States: a review.

Tropospheric ozone can affect crop yield and has been reported to cause reductions in growth and biomass of forest tree species in laboratory and glasshouse studies. However, linkages between growth and ambient ozone concentrations in the field are not well established for forest trees. Ambient ozone concentrations have been shown to cause foliar injury on a number of tree species throughout much of the eastern USA. Symptom expression is influenced by endogenous and exogenous factors and, therefore, ozone-exposure/tree-response relationships have been difficult to confirm. Clearly defined, cause-effect relationships between visible injury and growth losses due to ozone have not been validated. Generalizations of sensitivity of forest trees to ozone are complicated by tree development stage, microclimate, leaf phenology, compensatory processes, within-species variation and other interacting stresses. In general, decreases in above-ground growth at ambient ozone levels in the eastern USA appear to be in the range of 0-10 % per year. However, these conclusions are based on a small number of tree species, with the vast majority of studies involving individual tree seedlings in a non-competitive environment. Comparative studies of small and large trees indicate that seedlings are not suitable surrogates for predicting responses of mature trees to ozone. Process-level modelling is a promising methodology that has been recently utilized to assess ozone effects on a stand to regional scale, indicating that ozone is affecting forest growth in the eastern USA. The extent and magnitude of the response is variable and depends on many edaphic and climatic factors. It is imperative when conducting assessment exercises, however, that forest biologists constantly keep in mind the tremendous variability that exists within natural systems. Scaling of single site/physiological response phenomena from an individual tree to an ecosystem and/or region necessitates further research.