cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Charlson co-morbidity index as a predictor of outcome after surgery for renal cell carcinoma with renal vein, vena cava or right atrium extension

ABSTRACTPurpose: Surgery is the most effective treatment for renal cell carcinoma with tumor thrombus but predictors of outcome and patient survival are variable. Co-morbidity may affect therapeutic decision making and survival, although to our knowledge this factor has not been studied in patients with tumor thrombus. We analyzed the Charlson co-morbidity index as a predictor of outcome after surgery.Material and Methods: From 1970 to 1998, 303 patients underwent surgical resection. The Charlson index, surgical era, completeness of resection, patient age, sex, tumor level, TNM stage, grade and perinephric fat invasion were studied retrospectively as univariate and multivariate predictors of outcome.Results: The level of tumor thrombus was 0 (renal vein only) in 127 patients, and I to IV in 66, 58, 36 and 16, respectively. At 5 years overall, cause specific and metastasis-free survival were 32%, 42% and 41%, while at 10 years they were 21%, 32% and 30%, respectively. For the whole cohort significant multi...
PHOSPHATE INCORPORATION IN DESHEATHED NERVES: EFFECTS OF POTASSIUM AND CALCIUM IONS.

In the presence of Ringer9s solution containing a high concentration of potassium ions, the incorporation of P 32 -orthophosphate into adenosine triphosphate and other organophosphates of the desheathed sciatic nerve of the bullfrog was inhibited by more than 75 percent. In calcium-free Ringer9s solution containing ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, the inhibition was about 30 percent. Both solutions depolarized the nerves, and the depolarization probably interfered with the mechanisms of phosphate transfer rather than directly with phosphorylation. The inhibition may have been a consequence of the decreased adsorption of phosphates which occurs at the excitable surface during depolarization.
Neuromuscular adaptations to respiratory muscle inactivity

Cervical spinal cord injury results in significant functional impairment. It is important to understand the neuroplasticity in response to inactivity of respiratory muscles in order to prevent any associated effects that limit functional recovery. Recent studies have examined the mechanisms involved in inactivity-induced neuroplasticity of diaphragm motor units. Both spinal hemisection at C2 (C2HS) and tetrodotoxin (TTX)-induced phrenic nerve blockade result in diaphragm paralysis and inactivity of axon terminals. However, phrenic motoneurons are inactive with C2HS but remain active after TTX. Diaphragm muscle fibers ipsilateral to C2HS display minimal changes post-injury. Neuromuscular transmission is enhanced following C2HS but impaired following TTX. Synaptic vesicle pool size at diaphragm neuromuscular junctions increases after C2HS, but decreases after TTX. Thus, inactivity-induced neuromuscular plasticity reflects specific adaptations that depend on inactivity at the motoneuron rather than at axon terminals or muscle fibers. These results indicate that neuromuscular transmission and functional properties of diaphragm fibers can be maintained after spinal cord injury, providing a substrate for functional recovery and/or specific therapeutic approaches such as phrenic pacing.
of the silicate fraction of Recent sediments used as a provenance indicator in the South Atlantic

Abstract Forty-six oxygen-isotope analyses of the μ m non-biogenic fraction of Recent sediments from the South Atlantic Ocean have been made. The data reaffirm earlier studies indicating two principal sources for sediments in the Brazil Basin: (1) small rivers draining the Brazilian Shield and (2) the Antarctic Bottom Current. The data confirm the result of earlier studies suggesting a source or sources south of 40°S for sediments delivered to the Brazil Basin by the Antarctic Bottom Current. The possibility that these sediments are a mixture of sediments having low δ 18 O values from the southernmost Argentine Shelf with sediments having high δ 18 O values from other areas around the Argentine Basin is suggested.
Equivalence of fast flush and square wave testing of blood pressure monitoring systems

Background. The accurate recording of intraarterial pressure depends upon an appropriate dynamic response of the monitoring system. Generation of a square wave (SW) at the catheter tip is the engineering andin vitro laboratory gold standard. Fast flush (FF) testing is the clinical test of choice. Results from these two test methods have been assumed equal but have not been empirically confirmed.Methods. We studied three different 5.1 cm catheter sizes (16G, 18G, 20G Becton Dickinson, Sandy, UT) attached to three different lengths of arterial pressure tubing (36 in, 91.4 cm; 72 in, 182.9 cm; 108 in, 274.3 cm). An arterial recording system was assembled in the standard fashion by attaching a catheter to arterial pressure tubing, which was attached to a transducer (TXX-R, Ohmeda, formerly Viggo-Spectramed, Oxnard, CA) whose signal was recorded by a strip chart recorder (Gould 2400, Rolling Meadows, IL). The system was attached to a pressurized saline flush. The catheter tip was inserted into one port of a pressure generator. With the other port of the pressure generator open to atmosphere, FF tests were performed by activating the flush device of the transducer. Subsequent step response signals from the FF tests were then recorded from which natural frequency (fn) and damping coefficient (ζ) were calculated. Next, square waves were generated by closing the port that was open to atmosphere and attaching a signal generator to a pressure generator. Square waves so generated were recorded as described above and natural frequency and damping coefficients calculated. These procedures were repeated after 0.05 cc of air was introduced in the transducer and repeated again in a system containing a damping device (R.O.S.E., Resonant OverShoot Eliminator, Viggo-Spectramed, Oxnard, CA).Results. There was no significant difference between fn and ζ as calculated from the step response generated from the FF test versus fn and ζ as calculated from the square wave (SW) test in systems without air. However, in systems containing air, fn by FF testing was always less than fn by SW testing for all catheter sizes and extension tubing lengths (p < 0.05). Damping was also always greater by FF testing than by SW testing in systems with air for all catheter sizes and extension tubing lengths (p < 0.05). The R.O.S.E device created marked qualitative differences, although exact fn and ζ could not be quantified.Conclusions. For the characterization of dynamic response of invasive blood pressure monitoring systems, the FF test and SW test yield identical results. However, under certain conditions — air, R.O.S.E device — dynamic response as measured by FF testing was not equivalent to dynamic response as measured by the gold standard — the SW test. Specifically, small amounts of air in fluid-filled invasive blood pressure monitoring systems cause a slightly worse dynamic response as measured by FF testing versus the laboratory gold standard — the SW test.
Renorming for stability and approximation of linear systems: Examples

For the linear Cauchy problem on a Hilbert space, we consider the two issues of exponential stability and preservation of exponential stability under approximation. It is often the case that an appropriate inner product (equivalent to the original energy inner product) can provide insight into these stability issues, and can even be used to construct approximation schemes. We give a heuristic discussion motivating the use of such inner products, and then survey several recent examples in which this idea has been used. Included are examples of damped elastic systems and retarded and neutral delay equations.
Microprocessor-Controlled Memory for Cardiopulmonary Monitoring of High-Risk Infants

A semiconductor memory for delaying waveforms, operated in conjunction with commercially available vital signs monitors and recorders, has been developed to generate a concise record of apneic and bradycardic episodes during long-term monitoring of high-risk infants. The system is useful for quantitating the number, duration and nature of life-threatening episodes without resorting to continuous recording.
Calcium cataract: a model for optical anisotropy fluctuations.

Young rat lenses were incubated in organ culture media enriched with 20 m m calcium. Lenses in the calcium rich medium developed cataracts and were characterized by the absence of vimentin in the urea soluble protein fractions. Sections from the same lenses were studied by polarized light scattering. The I + /I ‖ scattering intensity ratios were higher from the lenses in calcium-rich media than from the control lenses. This indicated an increase in the optical anisotropy fluctuations during cataractogenesis. The turbidity that developed due to these fluctuations was caused partly by the disappearance of vimentin and which in turn caused the enhancement of birefringence of the lens.
Release of multi-layer metal structure in MEMS devices by dry etching technique

Abstract Reactive ion etching technique was used to remove interleave photoresist layer for free standing metal structure in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. Mixture of oxygen and CF4 gas was used to get isotropic etching profile. Etching process was optimized to get large metal structure of 100×100 μm2 without any surface bending. The etching rate of 0.7 μm/min at 60 W of RIE plasma power is found to be optimum process for the particular application. The reported dry release technique is fully compatible with standard silicon IC processing and hence can be used for hybridize process used in MEMS array application.
Precedence, Preemption and the Ietf

The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) is the primary standards organization for evolution of the Internet architecture and Internet operation. The Internet has supported an ever-changing set of applications by remaining largely agnostic to the information content of the packets transported across the network without resource reservations or preferred treatment. This works because most applications are "elastic" and react to congestion by slowing their sending rate. By default, all information transfers are treated equally. This basic design did not consider application requirements (e.g., Quality of Service) or the mission importance of certain connections (i.e., a Class of Service [CoS] where some transactions are deemed of greater importance than others). However, all information flows are not equal in a military environment, and hence, the military community is taking these requirements to the IETF. While theoretically the IETF's standards are developed for the public Internet, in practice some protocols will be deployed exclusively over private Internet protocol networks such as the global information grid (GiG). The Internet Emergency Preparedness Working Group (IEPREP) has specifically focused on requirements for emergency telecommunications for situations where some communications are vital. For example, IEPREP has produced requirements for session initiation protocol (SIP) to carry priority information, which, in turn, has lead to RFC 4412. SIP facilitates sessions to be set up and with RFC 4412, the protocol can also relate information on CoS, analogous to the Multi-level Precedence and Preemption (MLPP) indication available on some existing military networks. However, there is a much greater problem to be solved; unlike circuit-switched networks, signaling and transport resources are not tightly coupled. Hence, to solve the issues of precedence and preemption will require new architectures; where there are insufficient network capabilities in the underlying network to support such a new architecture, the IETF is the logical organization to develop them
Immigration in America: library services and information resources

Purpose – This paper aims to present an overview of information resources that have been collected, prepared, or organized by librarians in support of information, reference and research needs pertaining to immigration and immigrants in the USA. The overview seeks to shed light on how American libraries have responded to the tides of immigration along with other community services to newcomers.Design/methodology/approach – The paper approaches the topic with a brief historical overview of immigration and library services. Through a comprehensive literature review the author intends to discover the degree to which American libraries have been involved in the provision of collections and services to immigrants.Findings – The literature review indicates that the early decades of the twentieth century left a legacy of library services to immigrants with special patterns of collection development along with various organized programs. As time went by, these services have become more sophisticated and are today...
Equivalent mechanical properties of through silicon via interposers – A unit model approach

Abstract A closed-form description of the equivalent mechanical properties of through-silicon via (TSV) interposers is given in this paper. The goal is to homogenize a unit TSV model for global analysis of interposer design and optimization. The equivalence between the heterogeneous TSV model and its homogenized counterpart is in the sense that, both models have an identical radial deformation at the boundary when subjected to the same loadings. The equivalent mechanical properties derived herein are: the in-plane equivalent Young’s modulus, bulk modulus, and coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE); the out-of-plane Young’s modulus, rigidity modulus, CTE, and the Poisson’s ratio. These equivalent properties form a transversely isotropic description of the homogenized TSV model, and can be readily used in finite element or computer-aided design package for globally characterizing the thermomechanical response of the interposer, or simulating its interaction with the annexed layers in the package. These equivalent properties are primarily developed for interposers with vias of uniform diameter through the thickness. When applying to interposers with tapered vias, the predicted results will be perturbed to an extent that is determined collectively by the aspect ratio and tilt angle of the tapered vias. The analytical work, which does not consider the thin liner layer, is compared to some known results that had considered the liner layer, to understand the extent of approximation.
Tensile forces induced in collagen by means of electromechanochemical transductive coupling

Abstract Electric fields are applied across a charged collagen membrane which supports a gradient in neutral salt concentration. Experiments over a wide range of concentration have shown that isometric tensile force densities larger than that of striated muscle can be induced by the applied field. The experimental results, together with the trends predicted by a theoretical model, suggest that the forces result from field-induced changes in intramembrane salt concentration which in turn modify the internal double layer repulsive forces between charged fibrils. Characteristic times for this electromechanochemical transduction process are examined in terms of the various rate limiting processes of importance.
A time to leave home and a time never to return ? Age constraints on the living arrangements of young adults

Given profound demographic change in [U.S.] patterns of leaving and returning home since the 1960s little attention has been paid to classical sociological questions related to age norms. Interviews were conducted with a random sample of 319 adults in the Chicago metropolitan area. A large majority of respondents perceived an age deadline for leaving home. In addition there was nearly complete agreement that both men and women should leave home between the ages of 18 and 25.... At the same time most respondents argued that there were no consequences for young adults who remain at home beyond the deadline.... These results are discussed within the context of the changing demography of these transitions and several larger life-course debates. (EXCERPT)
Combating impulsive noise and ISI in power line communication systems

Power line communication (PLC) continues to draw increasing interest with a potential for a wide range of applications including cost-free last-mile communication solution and smart grid monitoring. However, signals transmitted through the power lines deteriorate badly due to the presence of severe inter-symbol interference (ISI) and harsh impulsive noise. This work studies reliable communication over narrow-band power lines by exploiting new ways of turbo equalization that is specifically designed for PLC. By introducing useful precoding to reshape ISI, optimizing maximum a posteriori (MAP) detection to specifically address the random impulsive noise, and performing soft iterative decision refinement, the new equalizer demonstrates a gain significantly better than the existing turbo equalizers.
A study on concentration polarization in ultrafiltration

Abstract A finite-difference solution of coupled transport equations for momentum and solute continuity is presented to model the concentration polarization in a tubular ultrafiltration (UF) system. The model includes the effects of solute osmotic pressure and solute rejection at the membrane surface, axial pressure drop and resistance of the gel layer. This provides a fundamental understanding of the dynamics of various operating parameters on concentration polarization and transmembrane flux. Simulation results are presented for a wide range of operating variables to show their effects on local variation of solute concentration and transmembrane flux. The numerical results were also compared with previously published experimental data, which shows that a concentration polarization model based on constant membrane permeability (usually obtained from pure water flux data) grossly overestimates the flux behavior. If the effect of gel polarization is included, the model can predict the actual permeate flux ...
The inductive role of Wnt-β-Catenin signaling in the formation of oral apparatus

Proper patterning and growth of oral structures including teeth, tongue, and palate rely on epithelial–mesenchymal interactions involving coordinated regulation of signal transduction. Understanding molecular mechanisms underpinning oral–facial development will provide novel insights into the etiology of common congenital defects such as cleft palate. In this study, we report that ablating Wnt signaling in the oral epithelium blocks the formation of palatal rugae, which are a set of specialized ectodermal appendages serving as Shh signaling centers during development and niches for sensory cells and possibly neural crest related stem cells in adults. Lack of rugae is also associated with retarded anteroposterior extension of the hard palate and precocious mid-line fusion. These data implicate an obligatory role for canonical Wnt signaling in rugae development. Based on this complex phenotype, we propose that the sequential addition of rugae and its morphogen Shh, is intrinsically coupled to the elongation of the hard palate, and is critical for modulating the growth orientation of palatal shelves. In addition, we observe a unique cleft palate phenotype at the anterior end of the secondary palate, which is likely caused by the severely underdeveloped primary palate in these mutants. Last but not least, we also discover that both Wnt and Shh signalings are essential for tongue development. We provide genetic evidence that disruption of either signaling pathway results in severe microglossia. Altogether, we demonstrate a dynamic role for Wnt-β-Catenin signaling in the development of the oral apparatus.
LACTIC AND α-GLYCEROPHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASES IN INSECTS

Different tissues, especially muscles, from insects belonging to various groups were extracted and studied for their lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (GDH I) activities from the comparative point of view. In all cases assays of flight muscle extracts showed extremely low values of LDH activity whereas the GDH activities were surprisingly high. The activities in leg muscles were generally lower. In some insects, however, a very active LDH was found; in these cases the GDH activity seemed to be decreased. GDH I was rather active in the fat bodies. The presence of particulate glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (GDH II) was also demonstrated in insect muscles. These results were interpreted as indicating a system by which there is accomplished immediate and direct breakdown of metabolites to supply large amounts of energy during flight and other activities without the accumulation of intermediate substances.
Rigidity and holomorphic Segre transversality for holomorphic Segre maps

Let \(\mathcal{H}^{n}\) and \(\mathcal{H}^\mathcal{N}\) denote the complexifications of Heisenberg hypersurfaces in \(\mathbf{C}^n\) and \(\mathbf{C}^n\), respectively. We show that non-degenerate holomorphic Segre mappings from \(\mathcal H^n\) into \(\mathcal{H}^{n}\) with \(N\leq2n-2\) possess a partial rigidity property. As an application, we prove that the holomorphic Segre non-transversality for a holomorphic Segre map from \(\mathcal {H}^n\) into \(\mathcal {H}^{N}\) with \(N\leq2n-2\) propagates along Segre varieties. We also give an example showing that this propagation property of holomorphic Segre transversality fails when N > 2n − 2.
Neurochemical correlates of sparing from motor deficits in rats depleted of striatal dopamine as weanlings.

The behavioral and neurochemical effects of striatal DA depletions were investigated in rats lesioned as weanlings (Day 27) or as adults (250-300 g). Administration of 6-OHDA into the medial forebrain bundle resulted in comparably large (� 95%) depletions of tissue levels of DA in both age groups. As expected, rats depleted of DA as adults exhibited marked deficits in motoric behavior and body weight regulation that persisted for the 8 days of postsurgical observation. In contrast, rats depleted of DA as weanlings were spared from such deficits, and their behavior closely resembled that of age-matched controls. Microdialysis studies revealed dialysate levels of striatal DA that paralleled these age-dependent behavioral differences. At a time when age-related behavioral differences were still quite pronounced (5-6 days postsurgery), basal DA levels were reduced by 80% of control values in rats lesioned as adults whereas basal DA levels in rats lesioned as weanlings were unchanged relative to their controls. Finally, adults depleted of striatal DA as weanlings were no more sensitive to the movement-impairing effects of intrastriatal sulpiride (3.0 or 10.0 mg/hemisphere) infusions than were control rats. These data suggest that weanlings compensate for large, but incomplete, denervation of striatal DA with markedly enhanced release and turnover from residual terminals. This developmental plasticity may prevent the occurrence of behavioral deficits soon after the lesion and also the supersensitivity to the challenging effects of DA antagonists as animals grow into adulthood. 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 43: 373-383, 2003.
Interrupting the economy of miracles: African sovereignty in/and Empire

Diverse meanings of ‘sovereignty’ and ‘exchange’ force us to interrogate the implicit ontology of states and the associated assumptions about will, matter and spirit used by political theorists, evoking different religious and political traditions. This article contrasts the notion of ‘sovereignty’ found in Joseph Tonda’s Le Souverain Moderne (2005) with the one found in Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri’s Empire (2000). Tonda’s text, I argue, challenges and complicates the appropriateness of referring to early Christianity as a model for resistance to global capitalism in Empire. To help with this contrast, I draw on two Central African authors, Emmanuel Dongala (2006) and Joseph Mwantuali (2007), whose novels illustrate the supernatural as well as thoroughly material significance of state power, wealth and sexuality in the modern Sovereign.
ContextType: using hand posture information to improve mobile touch screen text entry

The challenge of mobile text entry is exacerbated as mobile devices are used in a number of situations and with a number of hand postures. We introduce ContextType, an adaptive text entry system that leverages information about a user's hand posture (using two thumbs, the left thumb, the right thumb, or the index finger) to improve mobile touch screen text entry. ContextType switches between various keyboard models based on hand posture inference while typing. ContextType combines the user's posture-specific touch pattern information with a language model to classify the user's touch events as pressed keys. To create our models, we collected usage patterns from 16 participants in each of the four postures. In a subsequent study with the same 16 participants comparing ContextType to a control condition, ContextType reduced total text entry error rate by 20.6%.
Guidelines for Regional Anesthesia Fellowship Training

Background The number of regional anesthesia fellowships has grown over the past 2 decades. There currently exist no guidelines for what constitutes ideal regional anesthesia fellowship training. Methods Regional anesthesia fellowship program directors and other advocates of regional anesthesia were invited to participate in a collaborative project to establish a standardized curriculum for regional anesthesia fellowships. Guidelines were created based on the existing template of Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education program requirements for residency education in anesthesiology. The resulting draft guidelines were distributed at a meeting of the program directors, who were then asked to forward all comments and relevant training material from their respective institutions to a coordinating institution. Results All received materials were reviewed, and selected components were collated into a consensus document, which was then reviewed, modified, and eventually approved by the program directors over a 2-year series of meetings. The program directors agreed to adopt the guidelines as their fellowship curriculum and to evaluate their effectiveness in 2 years9 time. Conclusions The intent of these initial guidelines is to improve the quality and consistency of regional anesthesia fellowship training. The creation process also led to an affirmation of the directors9 commitment to continued dialogue for the purpose of facilitating the exchange of ideas among programs.
Performance assessment of lower VHF band for short-range communication and geolocation applications

The focus of this paper is to characterize near-ground wave propagation in the lower very high frequency (VHF) band and to assess advantages that this frequency band offers for reliable short-range low-data rate communications and geolocation applications in highly cluttered environments as compared to conventional systems in the microwave range. With the advent of palm-sized miniaturized VHF antennas, interest in low-power and low-frequency communication links is increasing because (1) channel complexity is far less in this frequency band compared to higher frequencies and (2) significant signal penetration through/over obstacles is possible at this frequency. In this paper, we quantify the excess path loss and small-scale fading at the lower VHF and the 2.4 GHz bands based on short-range measurements in various environments. We consider indoor-to-indoor, outdoor-to-indoor, and non-line-of-sight outdoor measurements and compare the results with measurements at higher frequencies which are used in conventional systems (i.e., 2.4 GHz). Propagation measurements at the lower VHF band are carried out by using an electrically small antenna to assess the possibility of achieving a miniaturized, mobile system for near-ground communication. For each measurement scenario considered, path loss and small-scale fading are characterized after calibrating the differences in the systems used for measurements at different frequencies, including variations in antenna performance.
The Development of Modern Financial Reporting Practices among American Manufacturing Corporations

From nineteenth-century traditions of corporate secrecy, American manufacturers have moved slowly toward more public and credible financial disclosure practices. Professor Hawkins examines the variety of pressures from the business community, the accounting profession, the government, and the public which has impelled this movement and governed its direction and tempo.
Securing distributed adaptation

Open architecture networks provide applications with fine-grained control over network elements. With this control comes the risk of misuse and new challenges to security beyond those present in conventional networks. One particular security requirement is the ability of applications to protect the secrecy and integrity of transmitted data while still allowing trusted active elements within the network to operate on that data. This paper describes mechanisms for identifying trusted nodes within a network and securely deploying adaptation instructions to those nodes while protecting application data from unauthorized access and modification. Promising experimental results of our implementation within the conductor adaptation framework are also presented, suggesting that such features can be incorporated into real networks.
Quantifying the Extent of a Type II SLAP Lesion Required to Cause Peel-Back of the Glenoid Labrum—A Cadaveric Study

Purpose: To quantify the extent of labral disruption required to cause it to peel back when the peel-back test is performed. Methods: Ten cadaveric shoulders were prepared by removal of the deltoid and rotator cuff muscles. The glenohumeral joint was concentrically reduced and brought into 90° abduction and maximal external rotation. The peel-back of the labrum was graded 0, 1, or 2. The labrum was sequentially detached from the glenoid in the following order: biceps anchor only, 1 o'clock, 2 o'clock, 11 o'clock, and 3 o'clock positions. After each labral cut, the peel-back test was performed. Labral repair was performed with a single suture anchor placed at the 12:30 o'clock position; labral peel-back was reassessed. Results: A progressive increase was noted in peel-back grade with sequential cutting of the labrum posteriorly. However, disruption of the anchor alone did not lead to a positive peel-back sign. Disruption to the 2 o'clock position resulted in a positive peel-back sign overall in 9 of 10 shoulders (5 were grade 1, and 4 were grade 2). No increase was seen in peel-back grade with anterior extension of the labral detachment. Labral repair with a single anchor placed at the 12:30 o'clock position eliminated labral peel-back in 100% of shoulders. Conclusions: Detachment of the biceps anchor alone does not cause peel-back. The labrum must be disrupted to at least the 2 o'clock position before overt (grade 2) peel-back is observed. A single suture anchor placed at 12:30 o'clock eliminated peel-back of the labrum. Clinical Relevance: Validation of the peel-back test as an important diagnostic tool during shoulder arthroscopy.
The Impact of NGO Network Conflict on the Corporate Social Responsibility Strategies of Multinational Corporations

Multinational corporations (MNCs) are the frequent target of nongovern-mental organizations (NGOs) in their advocacy efforts. In this article, the author examines NGO advocacy as it occurs in the N...
State and Society in Mexico: Must a Stable Polity Be Institutionalized?

The Mexican state is based on a constantly renewed bargain among several ruling groups and interests representing a broad range of ideological tendencies and social bases. Mexican political stability rests primarily not upon formal institutions, but upon the interaction of principles of political discipline (closely linked to the concept of authoritarianism) and political negotiation (associated with the concept of proto-democracy). The combination of repression and co-optation with just the “right” mix of responsiveness and compromise produces: (1) elites that are both linked to, and insulated from, their potential constituencies; (2) a pattern of political and administrative decision making called “policy incoherence”; and (3) avoidance of the crystallization of factional alliances, and their opposition to one another.
Who Should Pay For Biomedical Engineering Technology Development

It is an enigma that the introduction of technology has led to improvements in productivity in practically every area of endeavor except the field of medicine. This paper asserts that properly applied technology, based on a systems engineering approach, can help reduce the cost while maintaining the quality of health care delivery. Achieving this goal will require more cooperation and coordination at the Federal level to insure that a focused systems approach is used in applying and developing technology that will lead to cost reduction. It is further asserted that much of the technology that could help reduce costs resides in the DoD and the DOE and has not historically been of prime interest to the NIH. Several dual use applications are presented that show how defense related technology can benefit the field of medicine. A new approach to a national initiative to applying technology to reduce health care costs is proposed. The steps in such an approach are first to develop a health care systems architecture and identify the key cost drivers. Then, to define technology roadmaps so that critical technical issues can be addressed on a priority basis using a focused systems approach to the problem. Irnplefflentation of this national initiative will require multi-agency funding and coordination, perhaps through OSTP or NSTC. This means that agencies must work together as never before, and that technology is made available and funded by whatever agency or source is capable of supplying the technology. Finally, a framework, called GUILDs (Government, Universities, Industry, Laboratory Development), is proposed to facilitate the fon-nation of teams comprising medical research institutions, industry, national laboratories, and government agencies to develop the technology required. A National Biomedical Engineering Virtual Collaborative Environment is proposed to be established immediately to serve as a focal point for coordinating the GUILDs involved in this initiative.
Analysis of RNA-binding protein IMP3 to predict metastasis and prognosis of renal-cell carcinoma: a retrospective study

Summary Background Distant metastasis is the main cause of death from renal-cell carcinoma, and the metastatic potential of tumours is often unpredictable. We aimed to investigate whether IMP3, an oncofetal RNA-binding protein, can be used as a biomarker to predict metastasis and prognosis of renal-cell carcinoma. Methods We studied 501 primary and metastatic renal-cell tumours. 371 patients with localised primary tumours were further investigated by use of survival analysis. We assessed IMP3 expression in tumour tissues by immunohistochemistry, and IMP3 mRNA and protein expression in selected tissues by quantitative real-time PCR and western blot analysis. Findings Compared with non-metastatic renal-cell tumours, IMP3 expression was greatly increased not only in metastatic tumours but also in a subset of primary tumours that were likely to subsequently develop metastases. Patients with primary localised tumours that did not express IMP3 had a longer metastasis-free survival and overall survival than did those with tumours expressing IMP3 (p vs 98%, hazard ratio 17·18 [95% CI 7·82–37·78]; stage II, 41% vs 94%, 10·14 [3·46–29·68]; stage III, 16% vs 62%, 4·04 [2·23–7·31]). IMP3 expression was also associated with reduced 5-year overall survival (stage I, 32% vs 89%, 6·44 [3·63–11·42]; stage II, 41% vs 88%, 6·93 [2·63–18·27]; stage III, 14% vs 58%, 3·46 [1·98–6·05]). Multivariable analysis of IMP3 status (positive vs negative) in primary tumours showed hazard ratios of 5·84 (95% CI 3·60–9·49) for metastasis-free survival and 4·01 (2·66–6·05) for overall survival (both p Interpretation IMP3 is an independent prognostic marker that can be used at initial diagnosis of renal-cell carcinoma to identify patients who have a high potential to develop metastasis and who might benefit from early systemic treatment.
The Fairy Godmother—and Her Warts: Making the Dream of Evidence-Based Policy Come True

Evaluators sometimes wish for a Fairy Godmother who would make decision makers pay attention to evaluation findings when choosing programs to implement. The U.S. Department of Education came close to creating such a Fairy Godmother when it required school districts to choose drug abuse prevention programs only if their effectiveness was supported by “scientific” evidence. The experience showed advantages of such a procedure (e.g., reduction in support for D.A.R.E., which evaluation had found wanting) but also shortcomings (limited and in some cases questionable evaluation evidence in support of other programs). Federal procedures for identifying successful programs appeared biased. In addition, the Fairy Godmother discounted the professional judgment of local educators and did little to improve the fit of programs to local conditions. Nevertheless, giving evaluation more clout is a worthwhile way to increase the rationality of decision making. The authors recommend research on procedures used by other age...
Environmental Crimes: A Summary Of Enforcement Actions To Support Business Productivity

This study summarizes and compares the most relevant criminal enforcement actions to support business productivity conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during the fiscal years 1995-2008; the important actions under consideration are the environmental crime cases initiated, defendants charged, years sentenced, fines (and restitution) and pollutants' reductions. A correlation analysis was used to evaluate the significant relationship (p-value=0 . 002) between the environmental crime cases initiated and the period of time in years; a power regression model (via curve fitting) was estimated to explain this relationship (R 2 adj =0 . 998); the ratio of charged defendants to cases initiated (%) was measured as an indicator of the yearly enforcement productivity undertaken by the EPA, whose 95% prediction interval is graphically presented . In addition, other density measures of enforcement actions against environmental crimes, such as the years sentenced per defendant, and the economic amount of fines and restitution per defendant are included .
The Volatile Products Evolved from Fluoroelastomer Compounds during Curing

Abstract The data show that hydrogen fluoride is not a major component of the gases evolved during any stage of the cure. During the press cure the major components are CO2 and H2O. Temperature and mold openings can have a significant effect on the weight loss during press cure. During the postcure the major components are H2O and CO2, while the rest of the components result primarily from the curing agents. No fluorocarbon breakdown products were detected. A variety of factors can affect the nature of the products evolved from fluoroelastomer compounds during curing. Since the physiological effects of many of these compounds are not known, it is recommended that adequate ventilation always be used when curing fluoroelastomers.
Deconvolution methods in solid-phase synthesis

The word library is used to define a collection of compounds usually built around a common structural motif. There are three general approaches to library preparation: parallel synthesis, mixture synthesis and split synthesis. One of these preferred strategies, parallel synthesis, is the approach where the compounds are made individually by automated or semi-automated methods. The library members may be made either in solution by classical methods, in solution attached to a polymeric carrier or on solid support. In parallel synthesis there must be linkage to a spatially defined position. The structure of the product is inferred from the position of the reactor and by the order of addition of the synthons and reagents at that position in space. Every possible member, resulting from the combinatorial mix of the synthons, need not be included in the library.
Accommodative movements of the lens/capsule and the strand that extends between the posterior vitreous zonule insertion zone & the lens equator, in relation to the vitreous face and aging

Purpose To elucidate the dynamic accommodative movements of the lens capsule, posterior lens and the strand that attaches to the posterior vitreous zonule insertion zone and posterior lens equator (PVZ INS-LE), and their age-related changes. Methods Twelve human subjects (ages 19–65 years) and 12 rhesus monkeys (ages 6–27 years) were studied. Accommodation was induced pharmacologically (humans) or by central electrical stimulation (monkeys). Ultrasound biomicroscopy was used to image intraocular structures in both species. Surgical procedures and contrast agents were utilized in the monkey eyes to elucidate function and allow visualization of the intraocular accommodative structures. Results Human: The posterior pole of the lens moves posteriorly during accommodation in proportion to accommodative amplitude and ciliary muscle movement. Monkey: Similar accommodative movements of the posterior lens pole were seen in the monkey eyes. Following extracapsular lens extraction (ECLE), the central capsule bows backward during accommodation in proportion to accommodative amplitude and ciliary muscle movement, while the peripheral capsule moves forward. During accommodation the ciliary muscle moved forward by ~1.0 mm, pulling forward the vitreous zonule and the PVZ INS-LE structure. During the accommodative response the PVZ INS-LE structure moved forward when the lens was intact and when the lens substance and capsule were removed. In both the monkey and the human eyes these movements declined with age. Conclusions The accommodative shape change of the central capsule may be due to the elastic properties of the capsule itself. For these capsule/lens accommodative posterior movements to occur, the vitreous face must either allow for it or facilitate it. The PVZ INS-LE structure may act as a ‘strut’ to the posterior lens equator (pushing the lens equator forward) and thereby facilitate accommodative forward lens equator movement and lens thickening. The age-related posterior restriction of the ciliary muscle, vitreous zonule and the PVZ-INS LE structure dampens the accommodative lens shape change. Future descriptions of the accommodative mechanism, and approaches to presbyopia therapy, may need to incorporate these findings.
Non-surgical treatment of pectus excavatum.

Background: Previously used procedures to correct pectus excavatum (PE) were largely based on surgical techniques like Ravitch procedure or the minimally invasive Nuss technique. Conservative treatment with the vacuum bell (VB) to elevate the funnel in patients with PE, represents a potential alternative to surgery in selected patients. Methods: A suction cup is used to create a vacuum at the anterior chest wall. Three different sizes as well as a model fitted for young women of VB exist which are selected according to the individual patients age. A patient-activated hand pump is used to create a vacuum at the anterior chest wall. When creating the vacuum, the lift of the sternum is obvious and remains for a different time period. The device should be used for a minimum of 30 minutes (2/day), and may be used up to a maximum of several hours daily. We have an IRB approval for it. Since this paper was conducted as a retrospective study, we did not have to have informed consent of every patient. Results: CT-scans showed that the device lifted the sternum and ribs immediately. In addition, this was confirmed thoracoscopically during the MIRPE procedure. Preliminary results published within the last 10 years proved to be successful. Conclusions: The VB has been established as an alternative therapeutic option in selected patients suffering from PE. The initial results proved to be dramatic, but long-term results comprising more than 15 years are so far lacking, and further evaluation and follow-up studies are necessary.
Preparation and properties of KNbO3 via the sol-gel method

Sol-gel processing of a solution of niobium and potassium ethoxides in methanol was used to prepare polycrystalline potassium niobate ceramic discs. Gel powders completely crystallized after only 2 h at 600 ° C. Crystallized powders were hot-pressed at pressures less than half of that required in conventional methods. Densities of up to 99% were achieved without encountering the common problem associated with the evaporation of the potassium oxide and subsequent formation of a stable second phase. The variation of dielectric constant with temperature was measured up to several degrees above the Curie temperature (a420b ° C). Dielectric constants of dense samples were found to be more than one and one-half times greater than that of their single crystal counterparts.
Reproductive performance of adult stable flies (Diptera: Muscidae) when fed fresh or reconstituted, freeze-dried bovine or porcine blood.

The reproductive performances were compared of adult stable flies, Stomoxys Calcitrans (L.), fed fresh porcine or bovine blood or reconstituted, freeze-dried porcine or bovine blood. Adult stable flies fed fresh or reconstituted, freeze-dried porcine blood oviposited significantly more eggs than adults fed fresh or freeze-dried bovine blood. No decline in fecundity was observed for adults maintained for 10 successive generations on fresh porcine blood or on reconstituted, freeze-dried porcine or bovine blood. However, fecundity of adults maintained on fresh, heparinized bovine blood declined in later generations. The data provide evidence that stable fly adults can be maintained successfully on reconstituted, freeze-dried blood, and that porcine blood is nutritionally superior to the blood of cattle.
Partially premixed hydrogen-air cellular flames in a tubular burner

A combination of chemiluminescence imaging and raster scanned Raman scattering of lean laminar partially premixed tubular flames is presented. Cellular and non-cellular structures are created in a single flame by opposed flows of lean premixed H2-air and CO2 diluted H2. Characterization of partially premixed tubular flame structure at low to moderate stretch rates is performed via chemiluminescence. Significant structural response is shown by varying the premixed equivalence ratio and the stretch rate, producing a range of unique and symmetric flames: axial-symmetric cigar shapes, haloed rings, and flower-like shapes. This study is focused on the flower-like cellular flames with high curvature flame zones and extinction zones due to preferential diffusion. Premixed equivalence ratios near 0.30 create a cellular structure surrounding a diffusion flame ring, resembling a flower. These partially premixed flames are found to exhibit high preferential diffusion by formation of premixed cells and unique star-shaped structures. Flower-like flames are found highly stable with regard to rotation and perturbations. The diffusion flame stabilizes premixed star and cellular structures. Major species and temperature profiles are measured by Raman scattering, showing preferential diffusion in the premixed cells. Peak temperatures across premixed zones are above adiabatic temperatures by nearly 200 K due to preferential diffusion.