cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Serum Vitamin E Concentrations and Recovery of Physical Function During the Year After Hip Fracture

Background. Poor nutritional status after hip fracture is common and may contribute to physical function decline. Low serum concentrations of vitamin E have been associated with decline in physical function among older adults, but the role of vitamin E in physical recovery from hip fracture has never been explored. Methods. Serum concentrations of a- and g-tocopherol, the two major forms of vitamin E, were measured in female hip fracture patients from the Baltimore Hip Studies cohort 4 at baseline and at 2-, 6-, and 12-month postfracture followup visits. Four physical function measures—Six-Minute Walk Distance, Lower Extremity Gain Scale, Short Form-36 Physical Functioning Domain, and Yale Physical Activity Survey—were assessed at 2, 6, and 12 months postfracture. Generalized estimating equations modeled the relationship between baseline and time-varying serum tocopherol concentrations and physical function after hip fracture. Results. A total of 148 women aged 65 years and older were studied. After adjusting for covariates, baseline vitamin E concentrations were positively associated with Six-Minute Walk Distance, Lower Extremity Gain Scale, and Yale Physical Activity Survey scores (p < .1) and faster improvement in Lower Extremity Gain Scale and Yale Physical Activity Survey scores (p < .008). Time-varying vitamin E was also positively associated with Six-Minute Walk Distance, Lower Extremity Gain Scale, Yale Physical Activity Survey, and Short Form-36 Physical Functioning Domain (p < .03) and faster improvement in Six-Minute Walk Distance and Short Form-36 Physical Functioning Domain (p < .07). Conclusions. Serum concentrations of both a- and g-tocopherol were associated with better physical function after hip fracture. Vitamin E may represent a potentially modifiable factor related to recovery of postfracture physical function.
DNA damage: ubiquitin marks the spot

DNA damage activates signaling cascades driven by the ATM–ATR protein kinases, culminating in the recruitment of repair proteins to the damage site through poorly understood mechanisms. Now a flurry of papers reveals how ATM-dependent phosphorylation of mediator and chromatin-associated proteins at sites of double-strand breaks promotes ubiquitylation of local nucleosomes, thereby eliciting a powerful signal for recruitment of repair complexes to the damage site.
Late effects of cancer and its treatment.

Objectives : To review the common physical and psychosocial late effects of treatment in adult and childhood cancer survivors. Data Sources : Published articles and research studies. Conclusions : More than half of individuals diagnosed with cancer can be expected to survive for more than 5 years. These survival gains have occurred because of more complex and multimodal therapy that may increase long-term toxicities. Implications for Nursing Practice : Health care providers must be familiar with these late effects to offer preventive care and health promotion strategies to this patient population.
Balanced Confidence Regions Based on Tukey’s Depth and the Bootstrap

SUMMARY We propose and study the bootstrap confidence regions for multivariate parameters based on Tukey's depth. The bootstrap is based on the normalized or Studentized statistic formed from an independent and identically distributed random sample obtained from some unknown distribution in Rq. The bootstrap points are deleted on the basis of Tukey's depth until the desired confidence level is reached. The proposed confidence regions are shown to be second order balanced in the context discussed by Beran. We also study the asymptotic consistency of Tukey's depth-based bootstrap confidence regions. The applicability of the method proposed is demonstrated in a simulation study.
DYNAMIC TIME-STEP ESTIMATES FOR TWO-DIMENSIONAL TRANSIENT FIELD PROBLEMS USING SQUARE ELEMENTS

This study presents an experimental approach to estimate time steps that integrate the two-dimensional field equation over a square element within 5 per cent accuracy from the exact solution. The time-step estimates were determined for three finite element, and three finite difference schemes. Comparisons between finite element and finite difference methods and the various time-stepping schemes were conducted. The dynamic time-step estimates are functions of grid size and the smallest eigenvalue of the system of ODEs, λ1. The results indicate that the finite element and finite difference methods generate similar time-step estimates and are at similar accuracy levels. The central difference scheme is superior to the other two schemes as far as the flexibility in allowing larger time step while maintaining the accuracy. The backward difference and the forward difference schemes were very close in their level of accuracy. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improved Bioassay for Acetylcholine

The pentobarbitalized, neostigminized dog carotid blood pressure preparation is proposed as a self-contained bioassay for acetylcholine that is not sensitive to concomitant drugs or ions which may be present. The dog blood pressure preparation has been found to possess certain advantages (e. g., reproducibility, stability, self-containment, simplicity, speed, etc.) over the classical preparations. Carotid blood pressure is recorded in the standard laboratory manner (i. e., carotid arterial cannula, mercury manometer, and kymograph recording). The statistical methods employed and the bioassay requirements satisfied are those stated by Burn in “Biological Standardization” (1).
Freud and Interaction Ritual: A Response to Manning

This is a nice review, but the editor has given me some pages to expand on a topic that Philip Manning only briefly mentions—the place of Freud in contemporary microsociology. Parsons and other sociologists used Freud chiefly as a theory of the superego, that is, to explain socialization and morality. On the other side, Dennis Wrong and others argued against the oversocialized conception by stressing the id. Some post-structuralist theorists (including many feminists) have used Freud for a theory of the self, especially gendered selves. I submit that interaction ritual (IR) chain theory covers the ground that Freud covers but does it in a more adequate fashion. We no longer need Freud’s model of superego for a theory of socialization or a theory of the self. In part, the Meadian tradition provides a mechanism of socialization—the generalized other (and its ancillary particularized others). The advantage of Freud was that he pointed to the emotional aspects of interaction, where Mead is more strictly cognitive. IR theory combines the two, showing that the generalized other emerges from microprocesses of mutual attention focus and emotional entrainment in infancy and early childhood. Moreover, the interactionist model has the advantage of showing how socialization or internalization is lifelong. Conversation experiences—whether religious, political, career, even friendship and erotic—happen whenever there is a highintensity interactual ritual. This is the kind of thing that Freud, as an early pioneer, pointed to long ago (in his model of trauma), but we now have a more generalized and flexible mechanism. Moreover, the neo-Durkheimian microtheory of rituals provides a theory of morality that is more open to historical and personal variations than Freud’s punitive superego. Another of Freud’s historical legacies was to emphasize unconscious mental processes. We have advanced on this front as well. Sociologists like Norbert Wiley and Margaret Archer have shown that we can study the inner self empirically, by studying interior dialogue. This is at least halfway to Freud’s unconscious, and it gives us some explicit criteria for describing the degree to which something is conscious: how articulate it is an interior dialogue. I have tried to show (in chapter 4 of Interaction Ritual Chains ) in reanalyzing some of Wiley’s data, and some of my REVIEW ESSAY
On the design and optimization of diffusion-controlled, planar delivery devices

Planar delivery devices are defined as multi-layer assemblies of paints, coatings or films designed to deliver chemicals into an environment at a predetermined rate. A readily manufacturable design that consists of two or three layers having different initial loadings of the chemical is described and optimized. Release of a chemical from the device is modeled as one-dimensional Fickian diffusion. A variety of release profiles, i.e. flux versus time, can be achieved by manipulating device parameters such as the thicknesses and initial chemical loadings of the different layers. The usual objective function is to maximize the utilization of the chemical over the design life of the device. Constraints on this optimization include the minimum effective delivery rate, the time required to achieve the minimum delivery rate, and the maximum allowable delivery rate. An important result is that an approximately constant delivery rate of a chemical into a zero-concentration environment is possible using a nearly universal design. The universal design has two chemical containing layers, each having a scaled thickness of 0.5, and one layer, initially devoid of chemical, with a scaled thickness of 0.14. The scaled initial concentrations in the layers, beginning with the layer farthest from the environment are 1.6, 0.4, and 0. Desired average delivery rates and device lifetimes are achieved by a single, typically empirical step in which the diffusivity is fixed to give an optimized utilization of the chemical over the life of the device. Adjustment of the design parameters, including the use of more than three layers, provides little benefit. The same general design, with adjusted parameters, gives good results when the desired profile includes a controlled initial burst or when the delivery rate is a linearly decreasing or increasing function of time.
Quark-number susceptibility of high-temperature QCD.

We measure the response of the quark number to an infinitesimal chemical potential in high-temperature QCD with two light flavors of dynamical fermions. In the chirally symmetric phase the susceptibilities for quark number density and for the density of the third component of isospin are large and equal within statistics, which is consistent with a plasma of light quarks. In the broken-symmetry phase the susceptibility for quark number density is small, as expected from quark confinement.
Culture v. Capital: The Rebecca Belmore Case

This paper considers a civil suit between an artist and her former gallery dealer. In the case of Nadimi v. Belmore, the plaintiff and the defendant exemplify two opposing ideologies, which in turn reflect two possibilities for understanding art. This paper considers the case, and Belmore’s artworks as representative of both systems. Through a strategic defense of her art and her practice, Belmore upholds a complex understanding of the value of art. The current legal system, however, only ascribes art value as commodity product. This paper demonstrates how Belmore’s actions and artworks related to the case supersede simple categorization. Her works cannot be corralled into any one classification; they are not only fine art, nor simply First Nations art. The article exposes how her works deploy multiple socio-cultural systems simultaneously: from an Anishnabe worldview, to European-Canadian art history, from the public museum, to the commercial gallery, to the Toronto bound freeway. I contend that this strategic employment of multiple systems is recognized in newly established international law, and articulated in the United Nations Declaration of Indigenous Peoples as traditional knowledge. The Belmore case illustrates the immediate need for governmental systems to acknowledge and employ such international law to redress systemic misconceptions of Indigenous arts practices.
Common Bile Duct Carcinoid Mimicking the Clinical, EUS, and ERCP Findings of Cholangiocarcinoma: A Rare but Potentially Curable Cause of Obstructive Jaundice

C A man presented with right upper quadrant pain and tenderness, progressive jaundice, and 20-kg weight oss, without episodic flushing, wheezing, or diarrhea, for 2 onths. Serum levels: lipase, 328 U/L; aspartate aminotransferse, 54 U/L; alanine aminotransferase, 119 U/L; alkaline phoshatase, 528 U/L; and total bilirubin, 3.9 mg/dL. Abdominal ltrasound revealed a 1.0-cm wide choledochus, without intraepatic lesions. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography ERCP) revealed mid-distal choledochal stricture, with mild roximal choledochal dilatation. The stricture was dilated enoscopically, and a 7 French stent was deployed. Cross-sectional ndoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) with Doppler revealed a 1.5 1.2 m, irregularly spherical, hypoechoic mass (Figure A; arrows urround choledochal mass near ampulla; arrowhead, bright, yperechoic, parallel lines from choledochal stent within diated choledochal stricture; PV, portal vein; DW, duodenal wall). ytologic examinations of ductal brushings obtained at ERCP nd needle biopsies obtained at EUS were nondiagnostic. Seum carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 level was 50 U/mL (minially elevated, normal 35 U/mL). Laparotomy, for presumed cholangiocarcinoma, revealed a .8-cm long, firm, mid-distal choledochal mass with choledchal thickening. A 2.5-cm area surrounding the mass was esected. Frozen sections of the resected specimen revealed ocally invasive cancer. The patient then underwent pancretoduodenectomy. Microscopic examination of permanent secions of resected specimen revealed low-grade, circumferential,
BK Polyomavirus in Renal Transplants: Role of Electron Microscopy and Immunostaining in Detecting Early Infection

Reactivation of BK polyomavirus (BKV) is increasingly recognized as a cause of failure of renal allografts. Since no specific treatment is available for this infection, early diagnosis is important, as it allows for early intervention and possible recovery of renal function. Forty-four consecutive renal transplant biopsies performed over a 2-year period were included in the study. In addition to evaluation of renal biopsy tissue sections using routine histochemical stains, CD3, CD20, BK virus immunostains using the specific BK virus and the SV40 antibodies and electron microscopy studies were performed. None of the transplant cases but one exhibited classical histologic viral changes. Viral particles were seen by EM in 19%, and BK-virus positivity was identified in only 43% of these cases. CD20-rich inflammatory infiltrates predominated in cases in which either positive BK stain and/or viral particles were identified ultrastructurally. A combined approach using electron microscopic and immunohistochemical evaluation can be utilized effectively to identify BK virus-associated nephropathy at an early phase facilitating early clinical intervention.
Phytochemicals in broccoli transcriptionally induce thioredoxin reductase.

Previous studies have demonstrated transcriptional induction of thioredoxin reductase (TR) by sulforaphane (SF) purified from broccoli; the mechanism of induction is via an antioxidant response element (ARE) in the promoter region of the gene. The purpose of the present study was to further characterize the induction of TR by compounds in broccoli and to determine if SF is the primary compound responsible for this induction. Aqueous extracts were made from broccoli with low or high concentrations of selenium (Se) and/or SF and tested in a TR/luciferase reporter gene system in cultured cells. Phenolic acids commonly found in broccoli (sinapic, caffeic, ferulic, and protocatechuic) and ascorbic acid were also tested. At SF concentrations of ≤2 μM, broccoli extracts and purified SF activated transcription equally well, but 4 μM SF in broccoli extracts resulted in almost twice as much induction as 4 μM purified SF (P < 0.05). All broccoli extracts significantly increased TR and quinone reductase activity rela...
Radiological mapping of the ribosomal RNA transcription unit in E. coli.

THE ribosomal RNA genes of Escherichia coli are arranged in tandem behind a common promotor in the order of 16S, 23S, 5S (for review see ref. 1). In this report we redetermine the positions of the 16S (0.55 × 106 dalton), 23S (1.10 × 106 dalton), and 5S rRNA (0.04 × 106 dalton) cistrons on their unit of transcription (scripton) by the ultraviolet light mapping technique2–9 principally to demonstrate the applicability of this technique to the determination of the transcriptional linkage of genes in E. coli.
Assessing Codependency and Family Pathology in Nursing Students

Codependency is believed to develop in dysfunctional family systems and manifest itself in compulsive behaviors that make life painful and work emotionally difficult. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationships between self-reported family pathology and scores on the Codependency Assessment Inventory (CAI) and to determine the prevalence of family pathology and codependency in a sample of nursing students. A descriptive correlational study of a sample of 35 southeastern and southwestern associate and baccalaureate nursing programs was used. Nursing students completed the CAI and a demographic questionnaire adapted from previous research. This study found relationships between family pathology and codependency traits. In this sample, codependency was identified as a severe problem for only a small number of the nursing students. The typical student earned a score on the CAI in the average range. While general information about codependency would be beneficial for almost all nursing students, ...
Daily interruption of sedation in patients treated with mechanical ventilation.

Purpose The evidence evaluating daily interruption of sedation (DIS) in mechanically ventilated patients, the benefits of this intervention, and the barriers to its incorporation into clinical practice are reviewed. Summary Recent epidemiologic studies have identified a high prevalence of oversedation in the intensive care unit (ICU). The practice of DIS, which involves withholding all sedative and analgesic medications until patients are awake on a daily basis, can limit excessive sedation. DIS has been shown to reduce the duration of mechanical ventilation and length of ICU stay, lessen the number of neurodiagnostic tests to assess for changes in mental status, decrease the frequency of complications associated with critical illness, and reduce the total dose of benzodiazepines and opiates administered. Although recent studies support the use of DIS, it remains underutilized in clinical practice and additional trials may be needed before this intervention will gain widespread acceptance. Barriers to the use of DIS include a lack of nursing acceptance and concerns regarding patient removal of invasive devices, patient discomfort, respiratory compromise, and withdrawal syndromes. Some clinicians are also concerned about the possibility of long-term psychological sequelae and the risk of myocardial ischemia during DIS in patients with coronary risk factors. Conclusion DIS limits oversedation in the ICU without compromising patient comfort or safety and should be incorporated into the routine care of mechanically ventilated patients. Clinicians should be aware of the numerous barriers that prevent the use of DIS and address these at their institution to increase its use.
Momentum and Heat Transfer in Laminar Slip Flow over a Cylinder

The vorticity transport and energy equations are solved numerically in a laminar gas flow past a circular cylinder. The slip boundary condition and temperature jump are applied at the cylinder wall. The changes in heat transfer and slip velocity at the cylinder wall due to Knudsen and Reynolds number variations are calculated. The velocity at the wall increases as the Knudsen number increases due to the slip condition. The separation point moves downstream as slip increases. As the Knudsen number increases, the slip increases at the wall and the heat flux between the cylinder wall and the flow decreases. These results show that the heat transfer coefficient and the Nusselt number decrease as the slip increases. When hot wires are used for temperature measurements, failure to include a slip boundary condition will also lead to an error in the temperature measurement.
Eat, Sleep, Breathe, Study: Understanding What It Means to Belong at a University From the Student Perspective

The present study utilized consensual qualitative research (Hill 2012) to investigate undergraduate students’ sense of belongingness to their university. The analysis revealed four broad domains: (1) valued group involvement, (2) meaningful personal relationships, (3) environmental factors, and (4) intrapersonal factors. Within these domains, six general categories and eight typical categories emerged. The results highlight the importance for students to have opportunities to meaningfully connect with other peers/faculty, the availability of a myriad of campus organizations and groups, and universities to foster an environment of diversity. Implications for higher education personnel as well as directions for future research are discussed.
Structural atrial remodeling alters the substrate and spatiotemporal organization of atrial fibrillation: a comparison in canine models of structural and electrical atrial remodeling.

Several animal models of atrial fibrillation (AF) have been developed that demonstrate either atrial structural remodeling or atrial electrical remodeling, but the characteristics and spatiotempora...
Combination of a fillet flap, free tissue transfer, and autologous tissue grafts in pelvic reconstruction following retroperitoneal sarcoma: a case report.

The resection of large pelvic tumors is challenging due to their infiltrative nature into multiple structures and organ systems. In this report, we describe the use of multiple vascularized and nonvascularized spare parts to reconstruct a pelvic defect in a patient with a uniquely large pelvic sarcoma invading the spinal canal. A 39-year-old Caucasian female who presented with a large retroperitoneal sarcoma where the tumor encased the left ureter, kidney, colon, and external iliac vessels and invaded the L3-S1 vertebral bodies. An extensive hemipelvectomy and reconstruction was performed over two days. A free thigh and leg fillet flap together with ipsilateral fibula flap, based on the superficial femoral artery and venae comitantes, was used for spinal reinforcement as well as abdominal and pelvic wall reconstruction. The postoperative course was uneventful without complications, no flap compromise or wound healing problems. After a followup period of 4 months, the patient had no complications and returned to activities of daily living with mild limitations. The success of this flap procedure shows the practicality and usefulness of using the full spectrum of tissue transfer for the purposes of a large pelvic reconstruction. V C 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery 00:000‐000, 2014. Hemipelvectomies are morbid procedures often necessary to treat bone and soft tissue malignancies of the pelvis. The resection of large tumors invading the peritoneum are often challenging due to their infiltrative nature and frequent involvement of multiple structures and organ systems. In addition, the effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation prior to surgery increase the likelihood of postoperative complications. Once resected, the goal of reconstruction is to provide soft tissue coverage of the defect to prevent herniation and evisceration of intra-abdominal organs, as well as bony reinforcement. The use of regional flaps provides a suitable solution, however, the use of tissue that would otherwise be discarded is optimal, described as the “spare-parts” principle. 1‐3 We describe the use of multiple vascularized and nonvascularized spare parts to reconstruct a pelvic defect in a patient with a uniquely large pelvic sarcoma invading the spinal canal. Case Report A 39-year-old Caucasian female presented with left groin pain associated with ambulation. Diagnostic
An Interpersonal Influence Model of Traditional Religious Commitment

Typically, explanations of traditional religious commitment have relied on economic deprivation or sociodemographic variables. An alternative explanation was developed based on social control and participation in the activities of the congregation. It was predicted that the most important determinant of individual religious commitment would be denominational affiliation; the denomination establishes the expectations with regard to religious belief. It was also predicted that social participation variables, which determine the extent to which the individual is integrated into the congregation, would also be important. Testing the model with data broadly representative of the Protestant churchgoing population, it was found that denominational affiliation, church attendance and intra-congregational friendships were generally the three most important predictors of three traditional religious commitment measures. Other variables—education, occupation, gender, age and region of birth—made insignificant or small contributions to explained variance.
Determinants of mRNA recognition and translation regulation by Lin28

Lin28 is critical for stem cell maintenance and is also associated with advanced human malignancies. Our recent genome-wide studies mark Lin28 as a master post-transcriptional regulator of a subset of messenger RNAs important for cell growth and metabolism. However, the molecular basis underpinning the selective mRNA target regulation is unclear. Here, we provide evidence that Lin28 recognizes a unique motif in multiple target mRNAs, characterized by a small but critical 'A' bulge flanked by two G:C base pairs embedded in a complex secondary structure. This motif mediates Lin28-dependent stimulation of translation. As Lin28 is also known to inhibit the biogenesis of a cohort of miRNAs including let-7, we propose that Lin28 binding to different RNA types (precursor miRNAs versus mRNAs) may facilitate recruitment of different co-factors, leading to distinct regulatory outcomes. Our findings uncover a putative yet unexpected motif that may constitute a mechanistic base for the multitude of functions regulated by Lin28 in both stem cells and cancer cells.
Communicative Correlates of Perceived Leaders in the Small Group

This study addresses the issue of the sensitivity of communicative variables for predicting leadership emergence in long-term, nonlaboratory groups. Seventeen potential leaders were predicted for nine groups, with the expectation that one or both of the predicted leaders would be chosen by their respective groups. One of my choices was confirmed by eight of the nine groups. The findings in this study suggest that communicative functions allow for the selection of potential group leaders. Addi tionally, leaders are chosen for their positive qualities, but appear to embody negative values as well.
Uncertainty modeling for interval Type-2 Fuzzy Logic Systems based on sensor characteristics

In the past decade Type-2 Fuzzy Logic Systems (T2 FLSs) gained increased research attention due to their potential to outperform Type-1 FLSs in applications with dynamic uncertainties. This advantage is typically attributed to the capability of T2 Fuzzy Sets (FSs) to better model the dynamic uncertainty and cope with its negative impacts. However, the accuracy, correctness and interpretation of such uncertainty modeling using the T2 FLSs have been rarely addressed or taken into account during the design of the respective fuzzy controller. The contribution of this paper is in analyzing the uncertainty modeling capabilities of the commonly used Interval T2 (IT2) FSs with uncertain parameters. In addition, a novel method for incorporating the experimentally measured input uncertainty into the design of the IT2 FLS is proposed. It is demonstrated that the novel IT2 FLS design method improves the accuracy of the input uncertainty model in the specific problem domain. As a consequence, the modeled uncertainty is then more accurately reflected in the output domain as the geometry of the typereduced centroid.
Molecular dynamic studies on the impact of mutations on the structure, stability, and N‐terminal orientation of annexin A1: Implications for membrane aggregation

Multiple MD simulations were performed for the full-length wild-type A1, the full length A1 mutations S27E and S27A, as well as the N-terminal peptide (AMVSEFLKQAWFIDNEEQEYIKTVKGS²⁷KGGPGSAVSPYPTFN) of wild-type A1 and mutations S27E and S27A. The MD simulation trajectories of about 350 ns were generated and analyzed to examine the changes of core domain calcium binding affinity, core domain and N-terminal domain structures, and N-terminal domain orientation. Our results indicated that S27A and S27E mutations caused little changes on the calcium-binding affinity of the core domain of A1. However, the S27A mutation made the N-terminal domain of A1 less helical, and made the N-terminal domain migrate faster toward the core domain; these impacts on A1 are beneficial to the membrane aggregation process. On the contrary, the S27E mutation made the N-terminal domain of A1 more stable, and hindered the migration to the core domain; these changes on A1 are antagonistic for the membrane aggregation process. Our results using MD simulations provide an atomistic explanation for experimental observations that the S27E mutant showed a higher calcium concentration requirement and lower maximal extent of aggregation, while the wild-type and two mutants S27E and S27A required identical calcium concentrations for liposome binding.
Calcipotriene ointment and halobetasol ointment in the long-term treatment of psoriasis: Effects on the duration of improvement

Abstract Background: Weekend therapy with superpotent topical corticosteroids has been used for the long-term treatment of psoriasis. Recently, calcipotriene ointment has been added to this regimen for use on weekdays, but there are no long-term studies of that combination. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the addition of weekday calcipotriene to a pulse therapy regimen of weekend superpotent corticosteroids results in a longer duration of remission of plaque psoriasis. Subjects: This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study. Forty-four patients with mild to moderate psoriasis were treated with calcipotriene ointment in the morning and halobetasol ointment in the evening for 2 weeks. Thereafter, 40 patients who were at least moderately (50% or greater) improved were randomized to 2 treatment groups. After 2 weeks of treatment with calcipotriene ointment in the morning and halobetasol ointment in the evening, 20 patients were randomized to receive halobetasol ointment twice daily on weekends and calcipotriene ointment twice daily on weekdays, and 20 patients were randomized to receive halobetasol ointment twice daily on weekends and placebo ointment twice daily on weekdays. Results: Seventy-six percent of patients applying halobetasol ointments on weekends and calcipotriene ointment on weekdays were able to maintain remission for 6 months compared with 40% of patients applying halobetasol ointment on weekends only with the vehicle on weekdays. Conclusion: The addition of calcipotriene ointment applied on weekdays to a weekend pulse therapy regimen of superpotent corticosteroids can increase the duration of remission of psoriasis. (J Am Acad Dermatol 1998;39:447-50.)
Direct-sequence spread-spectrum using directionally constrained adaptive beam forming to null interference

A direct-sequence spread-spectrum communication system using an adaptive antenna array to null interference is examined. The system model is a modification of Compton's (1978) system, using a digital implementation and a directional constraint. Computer simulations are used to compare the behavior of the directionally constrained model with Compton's model with emphasis on spread-spectrum code synchronization. In the directed system, nulling of a tone jammer occurs without respect to direct-sequence code acquisition, and nulling of an off-beam desired signal occurs very slowly. Theoretical results are obtained by using the system covariance matrix, and incorporating the effects of spread-spectrum filtering to compute the system response as a function of time. The simulated results indicate that incomplete directional knowledge may be exploited to enhance signal quality and speed up code acquisition. >
Interplanetary magnetic field over two solar cycles and out to 20 AU

Interplanetary field measurements are now available from Pioneer and Voyager at large distances and from various spacecraft in the inner solar system. These multiple observations at different locations have proven indispensable in separating temporal from spatial dependences. The data set has revealed a number of characteristic solar cycle variations including changes in field strength and the inclination of the heliospheric current sheet responsible for magnetic sectors. Spatial gradients in the field parameters out to 20 AU have been compared with the Parker Model including the spiral angle, the north-south field component and the magnitude. As a result of planetary encounters, Pioneer and the Voyagers are traveling outward at significantly different latitudes making it possible to investigate latitudinal, as well as radial, dependences. Effects associated with the pick-up of interstellar ions are being sought.
Point of View of a Clinician

This paper covers the perspective of practicing physicians on cost-effectiveness studies. Practicing physicians need practice-oriented information. They need to be able to link cost and efficacy in justifying or refuting managed care guidelines and making intelligent decisions on hospital formularies. Practicing physicians also need to be able to communicate with researchers, to understand modeling and statistical analysis. Physicians have concerns about cost-effectiveness studies done in Phase II trials.
Direct characterization of enzyme-substrate complexes by using electrosonic spray ionization mass spectrometry.

Numerous reports have cited the use of electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry to characterize intact, multiplycharged proteins and protein complexes. Herein we describe the application of a variant method, electrosonic spray ionization (ESSI), to monitor dynamic changes associated with formation of binary and ternary complexes, such as enzyme–substrate and enzyme–substrate–inhibitor systems. The basis for the experiment is that the gentle ESSI ionization method preserves solution protein and protein complex structures and tags each protein with a charge state that is characteristic of its conformation. In the course of the study, we show that noncovalent solution interactions between the enzyme imidazole-3-glycerol phosphate synthase (IGP synthase) and the substrate/inhibitor are preserved in the gas-phase ions. This enzyme contains two distinct active sites, the glutaminase domain and the synthetase domain located some 30 apart. The observations indicate the capacity of this method to preserve native-like protein
Water stress, growth, and osmotic adjustment

Many plant processes are affected by mild water stress, with cell growth probably the most sensitive. Except for turgor-mediated processes, the physicochemical basis for the transduction of small changes in water status into alterations in metabolism remains obscure. Turgor pressure is assigned a critical role in cell growth: the physical force needed to sustain enlargement. Simple physical models relating growth to turgor are conceptually useful in examining effects of water stress but can be misleading because metabolic and regulatory responses may be marked and vary temporally. Osmotic adjustment has long been known as a means by which higher plants adapt to salinity, with much of the cell osmotica being ionic and accumulated from the medium. Though not generally recognized, osmotic adjustment also appears to be an important mechanism for adaptation to water-limiting conditions, even in mesophytic plants. In this case much of the osmotica might possibly be internally generated. Recent field data on seasonal and diurnal adjustment and vertical water-potential gradients in plant canopies are discussed relative to growth and water-potential components.
Becoming a Blacksmith in Gbarngasuakwelle

In analyzing the processes involved in becoming a blacksmith in a Kpelle town in West Africa, the paper highlights the failure of simple typologies to account for the contrast between formal schooling and out-of-school or informal learning. The blacksmith is shown to carry three subroles: skilled worker, big-man, and medicine man. Each involves different skills and each requires different training processes. These processes are described and attention is paid to their forma/and informal characteristics.
DISCOVERY OF CREPIDODERA BELLA PARRY (COLEOPTERA: CHRYSOMELIDAE: ALTICINI) IN MARYLAND AND REDESCRIPTION

Crepidodera bella Parry (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Alticini), previously known only from Florida, South Carolina, Alabama, and Louisiana, is discovered in central Maryland. This species is sympatric with C. browni Parry on Salix nigra growing along swamps in the McKee-Besher Wildlife Management Area (398049300N, 778239000W). Morphological features of the integument and genitalia are described and compared to C. browni.
Utilization of hydrophilic-interaction LC to minimize matrix effects caused by phospholipids

Background: In bioanalysis, phospholipids may affect the precision and accuracy of LC–MS/MS methods and compromise the quality of the results, especially when samples in complex biomatrices are extracted by protein precipitation techniques. Results: It was found that the retentive behavior of both common pharmaceuticals and physiologically relevant phospholipids under bare silica hydrophilic-interaction LC (HILIC) is more predictable than under reversed-phase conditions. In particular, the retention time of phospholipids was not significantly affected by varying the salt and acid modifiers in the mobile phases, but common pharmaceuticals can be shifted away from these phospholipid interferences through mobile phase modifiers. Several mass spectrometric techniques were applied to confirm this finding. Conclusion: HILIC chromatography is a valued tool in the development of robust bioanalytical assays with minimal and predictable phospholipid interferences. Furthermore, addition of a small amount of ion-pair...
Optimal proximal anastomosis/tunnel for axillofemoral grafts

Abstract The proximal anastomosis of the axillofemoral graft may be optimally placed with standard "cobra-head" technique at an oblique angle to the axillary artery if a subpectoralis minor course of the graft into the anterior-inferior axilla is used. Theoretical advantages of such an anastomosis include improved flow characteristics, decreased tendency to pseudoaneurysm formation, and a decreased tendency to axillary artery thrombosis or brachial artery embolus. (J VASC SURG 1986;3:673-6.)
Comparative Analysis Of Online Recruitment And Managerial Capabilities

On-line recruitment is a phenomenon that is not only changing the traditional approach to human resource management but is also having a significant impact on other business strategies. Managerial recruitment appears to be the area having the greatest influence on business strategy. We examined two theoretical perspectives that help to explain the importance in the U.S. of aggressive screening and competence matching as firms seek out exceptional managerial candidates. We then used data collected from web sites to compare online managerial recruitment in Japan, the U.K., and the U.S. Due to cultural and institutional differences, we found that there were significant differences in a number of on-line recruitment strategies.
Surveillance of Measles in Quanzhou City in 2009

Objective To analyze the results of monitoring of measles in Quanzhou city in 2009.Method Data obtained form the monitoring of measles occurrence were descriptively analyze by using Epiinfo 2003 software.Results 132 suspected measles cases were reported to the Measles Reporting Information System.15 cases were confirmed,with an incidence rate of 0.19 / 100 000 population.The proportion of the counties(county-level cities and districts)with reported incidence of confirmed cases exceeding 0.19 / 100 000 was 42.03%.96.09% of cases were investigated within 48 hours.85.51% of cases had the results of serological test within 7 days.69 blood specimens(52.27%)were collected from the 132 suspected patients,and the positive rates of measles IgM and rubella IgM were 21.74% and 42.03%,respectively.73.33% of the measles cases were from Jinjiang city,and 53.33% cases occurred in January and April.66.67% of the patients were in the age group of 0～7 months and 14 years.73.33% of the patients had an unknown history of measles immunization.66.67% of the cases were found in the floating population,and 60% had been visiting hospitals at 7 to 21 days before they got measles infection.Conclusions The measles monitoring system in Quanzhou could not specifically detect the measles patients.Individuals with an unknown history of measles immunization are in the high risk group of measles infection.
Mapping homeostatic synaptic plasticity using cable properties of dendrites

When chronically silenced, cortical and hippocampal neurons homeostatically upregulate excitatory synaptic function. However, the subcellular position of such changes on the dendritic tree is not clear. We exploited the cable-filtering properties of dendrites to derive a parameter, the dendritic filtering index (DFI), to map the spatial distribution of synaptic currents. Our analysis indicates that young rat cortical neurons globally scale AMPA receptor-mediated currents, while mature hippocampal neurons do not, revealing distinct homeostatic strategies between brain regions and developmental stages. The DFI presents a useful tool for mapping the dendritic origin of synaptic currents and the location of synaptic plasticity changes.
Anti-Hypertensive Drug Requirements in Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis:

This retrospective analysis documents changes in antihypertensive drug requirements with time on CAPD. In 59 patients who were hypertensive at initiation of CAPD, antihypertensive drug use decrease...
Effects of characteristics of softening as a pretreatment for ultrafiltration

Softening was proposed as a pretreatment for ultrafiltration, which reduces foulants prior to membrane processes. The objectives of this research were to understand the nature of the fouling mechanisms for ultrafiltration when used for waters that either require softening or have been softened, and to use that understanding to determine promising options for the use of softening as a pretreatment before ultrafiltration (UF). Several characteristics of softening, including extent of softening, precipitation kinetics, and hydrophobicity of membrane materials, were investigated as independent variables. Because of softening, both the organic matter concentration and the particle concentration of feed water to ultrafiltration were reduced, thus reducing the degree of fouling. The slow kinetics of softening had little effect on membrane fouling although precipitation directly occurred on the membrane surface in the system during the operation. Detailed images of the membrane surface obtained by scanning electron microscopy confirmed substantial amounts of the precipitates on the surface. In contrast, the hydrophobicity of the membrane material showed a significant effect on the flux decline behavior. Overall, the integrated water treatment of softening and ultrafiltration is shown to be a promising option for hard waters.
Derivatives: Why They Elude Classification

The search for functions that can be derivatives leads to several interesting classes of functions and detours around some pathological examples.
Host Exploitation and Synchronous Development in a Water Mite Parasite of the Marsh Treader Hydrometra myrae (Hemiptera: Hydrometridae)

All active stages of the marsh treader Hydrometra myrae Bueno are attacked by larvae of the water mite Hydryphantes tenuabilis Marshall, but the parasitic mites become fully engorged on only adult hosts. All mites attach for the 1st time by jumping onto the host from the water surface, but as the host molts, the mites crawl to the next instar. Initially attaching mites predominate on the venter and legs; transferring mites on the dorsum of the host. Adult hosts bear mites of similar sizes on the dorsum because transferring mites attach simultaneously and engorgement proceeds at the same rate, but they carry mites of smaller and variable sizes on the venter and legs because initially attaching mites can parasitize the host for as long as 6 or 7 days after ecdysis. The incidence of parasitized hosts and the mean number of mites per host increase as the host develops from instar I to the adult. Mite loads appear to be linearly related to host age.
A tradeoff between the ecological and evolutionary stabilities of public goods genes in microbial populations

Microbial populations often rely on the cooperative production of extracellular public goods molecules. The cooperative nature of public good production may lead to minimum viable population sizes, below which populations collapse. In addition, cooperator public goods producing cells face evolutionary competition from non-producing mutants, or freeloaders. Thus, public goods cooperators have to be stable not only to the invasion of freeloaders, but also to ecological perturbations that may push their numbers too small to be sustainable. Through a combination of experiments with microbial populations and mathematical analysis of the Ecological Public Goods Game, we show that game parameters and experimental conditions that improve the evolutionary stability of cooperators also lead to a low ecological stability of the cooperator population. Complex regulatory strategies mimicking those used by microbes in nature may allow cooperators to beat this eco-evolutionary stability tradeoff and become resistant to freeloaders while at the same time maximizing their ecological stability. Our results thus identify the coupled eco-evolutionary stability as being key for the long-term viability of microbial public goods cooperators.
Assessment of sperm motion characteristics from fertile and infertile men using a fully automated computer-assisted semen analyzer

Sperm curvilinear velocity (Vc) and linearity (L) were analyzed in semen from 20 fertile men and from 53 patients with unexplained infertility by a computer-assisted semen analyzer (CASA). Because the frequency distribution of Vc from patient's spermatozoa showed a nongaussian distribution, comparison of mean values of Vc and L between men with unexplained infertility and fertile men is inappropriate. As an alternative, the authors compared the cumulative distribution of the percent of cells measured at increasing intervals of Vc and L, and observed a significant difference between patients and fertile men from the level of Vc30 through Vc70 micron/sec for curvilinear velocity and L2 through L6 for linearity (P less than 0.001). Furthermore, the authors coanalyzed these two parameters at the greatest point of difference (Vc40 and L3) and observed that their patient population can be differentiated into four subpopulations of subjects accordingly to their Vc40 and L3 values. In this study, 43 of the 53 patients had a motility disorder characterized by having a higher percent of cells being substantially slower and less directional than cells from normal men. However, in some patients, motion characteristics were indistinguishable from those in normal men.