cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid Identification of New Delhi Metallo-β-Lactamase (NDM) Using Tryptic Peptides and LC-MS/MS.

There is significant interest in the development of mass spectrometry (MS) methods for antimicrobial resistance protein detection, given the ability of these methods to confirm protein expression. In this work, we studied the performance of a liquid chromatography, tandem MS multiple-reaction monitoring (LC-MS/MS MRM) method for the direct detection of the New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM) carbapenemase in clinical isolates. Using a genoproteomic approach, we selected three unique peptides (SLGNLGDADTEHYAASAR, AFGAAFPK, and ASMIVMSHSAPDSR) specific to NDM that were efficiently ionized and spectrally well-defined. These three peptides were used to build an assay with turnaround time of 90 min. In a blind set, the assay detected 21/24 bla NDM-containing isolates and 76/76 isolates with negative results, corresponding to a sensitivity value of 87.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 67.6% to 97.3%) and a specificity value of 100% (95% CI, 95.3% to 100%). One of the missed identifications was determined by protein fractionation to be due to low (∼0.1 fm/μg) NDM protein expression (below the assay limit of detection). Parallel disk diffusion susceptibility testing demonstrated this isolate to be meropenem susceptible, consistent with low NDM expression. Total proteomic analysis of the other two missed identifications did not detect NDM peptides but detected other proteins expressed from the bla NDM-containing plasmids, confirming that the plasmids were not lost. The measurement of relative NDM concentrations over the entire isolate test set demonstrated variability spanning 4 orders of magnitude, further confirming the remarkable range that may be seen in levels of NDM expression. This report highlights the sensitivity of LC-MS/MS to variations in NDM protein expression, with implications for how this technology may be used.
New Zealand as a leader in conservation practice and invasion management

New Zealand has played a prominent role in conservation and especially in invasion management. The plethora of 19th century animal and plant invasions led to much research, beginning in the early 2...
Single-cell RNA sequencing of adult Drosophila ovary identifies transcriptional programs governing oogenesis

Abstract Oogenesis is a complex developmental process that involves spatiotemporally regulated coordination between the germline and supporting, somatic cell populations. This process has been modelled extensively using the Drosophila ovary. While different ovarian cell types have been identified through traditional means, the large-scale expression profiles underlying each cell type remain unknown. Using single-cell RNA sequencing technology, we have built a transcriptomic dataset for the adult Drosophila ovary and connected tissues. This dataset captures the entire transcriptional trajectory of the developing follicle cell population over time. Our findings provide detailed insight into processes such as cell-cycle switching, migration, symmetry breaking, nurse cell engulfment, egg-shell formation, and signaling during corpus luteum formation, marking a newly identified oogenesis-to-ovulation transition. Altogether, these findings provide a broad perspective on oogenesis at a single-cell resolution while revealing new genetic markers and fate-specific transcriptional signatures to facilitate future studies.
Deep-inverse correlography: towards real-time high-resolution non-line-of-sight imaging

Low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) measurements, primarily due to the quartic attenuation of intensity with distance, are arguably the fundamental barrier to real-time, high-resolution, non-line-of-sight (NLoS) imaging at long standoffs. To better model, characterize, and exploit these low SNR measurements, we use spectral estimation theory to derive a noise model for NLoS correlography. We use this model to develop a speckle correlation-based technique for recovering occluded objects from indirect reflections. Then, using only synthetic data sampled from the proposed noise model, and without knowledge of the experimental scenes nor their geometry, we train a deep convolutional neural network to solve the noisy phase retrieval problem associated with correlography. We validate that the resulting deep-inverse correlography approach is exceptionally robust to noise, far exceeding the capabilities of existing NLoS systems both in terms of spatial resolution achieved and in terms of total capture time. We use the proposed technique to demonstrate NLoS imaging with 300 µm resolution at a 1 m standoff, using just two 1/8th ${s}$s exposure-length images from a standard complementary metal oxide semiconductor detector.
Evaluation of a standardized collection device for exhaled breath sampling onto thermal desorption tubes

The Respiration Collector for In Vitro Analysis (ReCIVA) sampler, marketed by Owlstone Medical, provides a step forward in exhaled breath sampling through active sampling directly onto thermal desorption (TD) tubes. Although an improvement to the issues surrounding breath bag sampling, the ReCIVA device, first released in 2015, is a relatively new research and clinical tool that requires further exploration. Here, data are presented comparing two distinct ReCIVA devices. The results, comparing ReCIVA serial numbers #33 and #65, demonstrate that overall statistically insignificant results are obtained via targeted isoprene quantitation (p > 0.05). However, when the data are parsed by the TD tube type used to capture breath volatiles, either Tenax TA or the dual bed Tenax/Carbograph 5TD (5TD), a statistical difference (p 0.05). Global metabolomics analysis of the guided breathing rate data shows more than 87% of the z-scores, comparing high and low breathing rates using both the Tenax and the 5TD tubes, are below the level for significance. Finally, data are provided from a single participant who displayed background levels of isoprene while illustrating levels of acetone consistent with the remaining participants. Collectively, these data support the use of multiple ReCIVA devices for exhaled breath collection and provide evidence for an instance where exhaled isoprene is consistent with background levels.
The Trouble with Instruments: The Need for Pretreatment Balance in Shock-Based Instrumental Variable Designs

Credible causal inference in accounting and finance research often comes from natural experiments. These experiments can be exploited using several shock-based research designs, including differenc...
Effect of Air Quality Alerts on Intended Behavior Change.

In 2015, Air pollution caused 8.8 million premature deaths worldwide and has reduced life expectancy by 2.9 years [6]. The increasing impact of wildfires and other emissions will lead to more days and locations with poor air quality. This research references and builds on previous work on how visual anchoring within the Air Quality Index (AQI) Alerts rating affects intended behavior change to ultimately protect against adverse health outcomes. Additionally, this study examines how past behavior and personality may impact future behaviors. Results show a significant effect of past behavior change specifically on intent to wear a face mask (t = −2.069, p = 0.0413). However, no effect of behavioral change was found between the two AQI Alert visuals presented as well as no effect between dominant or passive personality. As air quality continues to decrease worldwide the importance of understanding AQI Alerts on resulting behavior change becomes more critical.
An ill-posed boundary condition was inadvertently implemented when deriving the expression to characterize deformation of neurons.

Ling et al. (1) suggest that the exquisite subnanometer voltage-dependent motility observed in cultured neurons results in part from voltage-dependent tension changes at the membrane and are pseudolinear with the transmembrane potential, Ψ. Unfortunately, they (1) modeled the tension change with an expression by Zhang et al. (2) that was derived with ill-posed boundary conditions (3) and has been subsequently overlooked by others (4). The starting expression used by Zhang et al. (2) arises from electro-capillary phenomena that described charging at a polarizable electrode that is initially uncharged (polarization charge density, q ≡ 0 ), and forms an electrical double layer upon application of an external electric field ( q ≠ 0 ). Upon changing the potential, … [↵][1]1Email: bfarrell{at}bcm.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Transarterial embolization modulates the immune response within target and non-target hepatocellular carcinomas

Abstract Recent successes in the field of immuno-oncology have generated considerable interest in the investigation of approaches that combine standard of care treatments with immunotherapies. Transarterial embolization (TAE) represents an attractive candidate for this approach given the potential for immune system stimulation, however little is known about the influence of TAE on the tumor immunoenvironment. The purpose of this study was to perform a cellular analysis of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and PD-L1 expression following TAE in a translational rat model of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to identify factors that influence this response. We show that TAE causes dynamic changes in immune cell populations, with variable increases in CD3, CD4, and CD8 cells within embolized tumors over time. We also show that TAE alters the immunobiology of distant, non-target tumors as demonstrated by an increased number of CD4, CD8, and Foxp3+ cells within the intratumoral compartment of non-target tumors. We demonstrate that, in response to TAE, tumor cells up-regulate expression of PD-L1. Finally, we demonstrate marked differences in terms of the foreign body reactions induced by two commonly used embolic particles, and show changes in lymphocyte and macrophage recruitment that depend on the type of embolic particles and their propensity to extravasate beyond the vasculature and into the tumor parenchyma. These findings hold important implications for the on-going development of novel therapeutic strategies combining locoregional therapy with immunomodulators, as well as for the development of techniques and materials that can further leverage the unique modulation of the tumor immune microenvironment.
Partition of Forecast Error into Positional and Structural Components

Weather manifests in spatiotemporally coherent structures. Weather forecasts hence are affected by both positional and structural or amplitude errors. This has been long recognized by practicing forecasters (cf., e.g., Tropical Cyclone track and intensity errors). Despite the emergence in recent decades of various objective methods for the diagnosis of positional forecast errors, most routine verification or statistical post-processing methods implicitly assume that forecasts have no positional error. The Forecast Error Decomposition (FED) method proposed in this study uses the Field Alignment technique which aligns a gridded forecast with its verifying analysis field. The total error is then partitioned into three orthogonal components: (a) large scale positional, (b) large scale structural, and (c) small scale error variance. The use of FED is demonstrated over a month-long MSLP data set. As expected, positional errors are often characterized by dipole patterns related to the displacement of features, while structural errors appear with single extrema, indicative of magnitude problems. The most important result of this study is that over the test period, more than 50% of the total mean sea level pressure forecast error variance is associated with large scale positional error. The importance of positional error in forecasts of other variables and over different time periods remain to be explored.
Identifying achilles tendon structure differences by ultrasound tissue characterization in asymptomatic individuals.

Ultrasound Tissue Characterization (UTC) is a modality that can be utilized to characterize tendon tissue structure using ultrasonographic imaging paired with a computer algorithm to distinguish echo-types. Several studies have demonstrated UTCs ability to distinguish Achilles tendon morphology changes, but no study has established normative data of the Achilles tendon in the general population. The aim of this study was to determine UTC echo-type distribution in the Achilles tendon in an asymptomatic population. UTC scans were completed and analyzed on 508 participants without Achilles tendinopathy. Dedicated UTC-algorithms were used to distinguish and calculate echo-type percentages and the fiber type distribution was compared. The overall sample echo-type percentages demonstrated greater levels of Type I and II echo-types, 65.73% and 32.00%, respectively, and lower levels of Type III and IV echo-types, 1.74% and 0.57%, respectively. In addition, females had lower levels of Echo-type I compared to men and greater levels of echo-type II (p < 0.001). We also found that African-Americans had significantly greater amounts of echo-type I and lesser amounts of echo-type II when compared to Caucasians (p < 0.05). The results of this study create a normative data set for future UTC studies to utilize as a baseline for the evaluation of Achilles tendons. In addition, it demonstrated tendon type differences between sexes and races that need to be accounted for in future studies.
Informative censoring due to missing data in quality of life was inadequately assessed in most oncology randomized controlled trials

Objective We aimed to systematically characterize reporting missing quality of life (QoL) data in oncology randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and to estimate prevalence of adequate reporting according to existing guidelines. Study design and setting This cross-sectional analysis includes all articles on anti-cancer drugs tested in RCTs in six high impact medical/oncology journals, published between January 2015 and May 2020, that reported QoL outcomes. From 1942 identified articles, 215 (11%) met inclusion criteria. Data abstracted included whether compliance for QoL assessment were reported, whether results from a missing data statistical analysis were reported, whether articles met current recommendations for reporting missing data in QoL assessments. Results The results from a missing data statistical analysis were available in 22 trials (10.2%). Overall, 16 trials (7.4%) met current recommendations for reporting missing data in QoL assessments. Articles specifically reporting on QoL or patient reported outcomes were more likely to meet recommendations than other reports (P Conclusion This systematic cross-sectional study found that most oncology RCTs reporting on QoL do not report adequately on missing data in QoL, with only 7.4% of trials meeting current reporting guidelines. The possibility of informative censoring, therefore, cannot be assessed in most of trials. Funding This project was funded by Arnold Ventures, LLC through a grant paid to the University of California, San Francisco.
Retrospective review of patients with lung cancer identified in the emergency department.

Abstract Background Obtaining a diagnosis of cancer following an emergency department (ED) visit is associated with poor outcomes and advanced stage. Limited data is available from EDs in the United States. We describe a cohort of patients that obtained a diagnosis of lung cancer because of an ED visit. Methods This is a single center, retrospective cohort of patients with lung cancer who presented to the ED between December 2016 and December 2019. We investigated demographics, access to primary care, previous cancer screening, cancer type/stage, mortality, and imaging study that suggested cancer. The primary outcome is the percentage of lung cancer diagnoses over a 4-year period that resulted from an ED visit. Results Among the 268 patients with lung cancer, 152 patients (57.6%) had presented to the ED with a workup that was concerning for lung cancer. Patients were generally elderly (median 62-years old), African American (n = 77, 51%), and smokers (n = 145, 95.4%) with a median smoking pack years of 40. Only 24 patients (15.8%) had seen a primary care physician within 1 year of diagnosis, and only 8 patients were appropriately screened for lung cancer. The most common type of cancer was non-small-cell carcinoma (111, 73.0%), with 61.3% of those being adenocarcinoma (n = 68). Patients were most likely to be stage IV (n = 86, 56.6%), and the overall mortality was 53.3% (n = 81, 1 year follow-up). Most patients (88/152, 57.9%) of patients were admitted to the hospital, and Medicare patients (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.37–5.23) and patients with stage IV disease (OR 2.22, 95% CI1.15–4.29) were more likely to be admitted. Patients were more likely to have a concerning finding on computed tomography (CT) versus chest x-ray (55.9% versus 36.8%, respectively). CT scan reports were more likely to mention malignancy (OR 5.9, 95% CI 2.5–14.0) or metastasis (OR 30, 95% CI 7.1–127.1) than chest x-ray. Conclusion Patients that have lung cancer diagnosed through the ED are more likely to be advanced stage at time of diagnosis and are more likely to have CT scans demonstrate concerning findings. Given the lack of previous cancer screening, the advanced stage at presentation of lung cancer to the ED, and high mortality rates, the ED may serve a public health role in addressing lung cancer screening.
Physician Influence on Variation in Receipt of Aggressive End-of-Life Care Among Women Dying of Ovarian Cancer

Physician practice patterns show meaningful variation in aggressive ovarian cancer end-of-life care, Table 2 captures the key findings.
Cystic fibrosis in a Hispanic adolescent

We describe the presentation of a Hispanic adolescent with chronic respiratory symptoms and poor growth that led to a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis (CF) based on an indeterminate sweat chloride result and DNA sequence analysis that revealed a single new frameshift mutation, Nt3878insATCAG, which results in a premature stop codon in exon 20 of the CFTR gene. This case, highlighted by the identification of a deleterious, disease-causing mutation, illustrates the importance of maintaining both a high clinical suspicion for CF and low threshold for obtaining genetic testing in a non-Caucasian Hispanic adolescent with a characteristic clinical presentation.
A frame bundle generalization of multisymplectic geometries

We present a generalized symplectic geometry on a principal bundle over the configuration space of a classical field. This bundle, the vertically adapted linear frame bundle, is obtained by breaking the symmetry of the full linear frame bundle of the field configuration space, and it inherits an “n-symplectic” structure from the full frame bundle. This geometric structure admits vector-valued field observables and produces Hamiltonian vector fields, from which we can define a Poisson bracket on the field observables. We show that both the linear and the affine models of multisymplectic geometry are obtained by mapping the vertically adapted frame bundle to associated fiber bundles. In addition, the new geometry resolves a fundamental problem that arises in each model.
Regulated-price and stock policies

Abstract Setting administered domestic prices according to just c.i.f. of f.o.b. border price is advisable only if the direction of trade is certain and all groups' interests are weighted equally. If the good randomly may be imported of exported, prices and stocks should be determined simultaneously on the basis of domestic demand and supply conditions as well as border prices. A framework is proposed for testing which optimizing model an LDC government employs when administering price and stock levels. The framework suggests Zimbabwe policy makers have treated maize as an export crop, weighting consumers' interests moderately below those of producers and government.
Sweet Patterns:Decoding glycan control mechanisms using systems-based approaches. (106.2)

Carbohydrates play crucial roles in a diverse array of biological processes from viral pathogenesis to tumor cell metastasis. Glycosylation is an inherently complex system whose regulation is poorl...
Tyrosyl radical generated by myeloperoxidase is a physiological catalyst for the initiation of lipid peroxidation in low density lipoprotein

Myeloperoxidase, a heme protein secreted by activated phagocytes, is expressed in human atherosclerotic lesions. The enzyme uses H2O2 generated by the cells to oxidize L-tyrosine to tyrosyl radical, a catalyst for protein dityrosine synthesis. We have explored the possibility that tyrosyl radical initiates lipid peroxidation, which may be of pivotal importance in transforming low density lipoprotein (LDL) into atherogenic particles. Exposure of LDL to L-tyrosine and activated human neutrophils caused peroxidation of LDL lipids. LDL oxidation required L-tyrosine but was independent of free metal ions; catalase and heme poisons were inhibitory. Incubation of LDL with L-tyrosine, myeloperoxidase, and H2O2 likewise caused lipid peroxidation, and this reaction was inhibited by heme poisons and catalase. Replacement of L-tyrosine with O-methyltyrosine, which cannot form tyrosyl radical, inhibited LDL oxidation by both activated neutrophils and myeloperoxidase. The antioxidants ascorbate and probucol, but not vitamin E, inhibited LDL oxidation by myeloperoxidase, H2O2, and L-tyrosine. Ascorbate blocked dityrosine synthesis, while probucol scavenged chain-propagating peroxyl radicals in the lipid phase of LDL. These results indicate that tyrosyl radical stimulates LDL lipid peroxidation. In striking contrast to other cell-mediated mechanisms for LDL oxidation, the myeloperoxidase-catalyzed reaction is independent of free metal ions. This raises the possibility that tyrosyl radical generated by myeloperoxidase is of physiological importance in making LDL atherogenic.
Development of a dual label Schilling test for pancreatic exocrine function based on the differential absorption of cobalamin bound to intrinsic factor and R protein.

Abstract Cobalamin is bound by R protein in gastric juice and is not transferred to intrinsic factor until R protein is partially degraded by pancreatic enzymes. Using this phenomenon, we devised a new dual label Schilling test for pancreatic exocrine function which is based on the relative absorption of R protein-cobalamin and intrinsic factor-cobalamin. The following were given together orally in Schilling tests: (a) 0.2 nmol human intrinsic factor-[ 57 Co]cobalamin; (b) 0.2 nmol hog R protein-[ 58 Co]cobalamin; (c) 0.4 nmol free human intrinsic factor; and (d) 200 nmol cobinamide (a cobalamin analogue that binds only to R protein and prevents endogenous R protein from removing [ 57 Co]cobalamin from intrinsic factor). Values for the ratio R protein-cobalamin/intrinsic factor-cobalamin in 24-hr urines ranged as follows: 26 normals, 0.52–1.00; 15 patients with pancreatic disease and symptoms of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, 0.02–0.15; and 11 patients with other gastrointestinal diseases, 0.45–0.86. All patients with pancreatic disease and symptoms of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency malabsorbed R protein-cobalamin and had low values for the ratio R protein-cobalamin/intrinsic factor-cobalamin which did not overlap with values obtained with normals or patients with other gastrointestinal diseases. In 18 patients with pancreatic disease without symptoms of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency values ranged from 0.26 to 0.89. Direct comparisons indicated that the test was comparable to the trypsin output test and at least comparable to the fecal fat test in terms of its sensitivity in detecting decreased pancreatic exocrine function. The simultaneous measurement of R protein-cobalamin and intrinsic factor-cobalamin and the use of their ratio obviate the necessity for quantitative urine collections and make the test applicable to patients with decreased renal function and to patients with combined pancreatic and intestinal diseases. The dual label pancreatic Schilling test is superior to the fecal fat test in specificity, speed, and convenience, and to the trypsin output test in cost, convenience, and potential availability. We believe that it will be clinically useful as a diagnostic test for pancreatic exocrine function.
A paradigm for aldehyde oxidation: histidinol dehydrogenase.

Histidinol dehydrogenase (HDH, EC 1.1.1.23) catalyzes the oxidation of histidinol to histidine, using two moles of NAD. The reaction is the final step in the biosynthesis of histidine in bacteria, plants, and fungi. The enzyme is of particular interest in what it can tell us about dehydrogenase action: the reaction contains both alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase steps, apparently occurring at a single active site. Two other enzymes, UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (UDPGDH, EC 1.1.1.22) and hydroxymethyl glutaryl CoA reductase (HMGR, EC 1.1.1.34) catalyze conceptually similar 4-electron oxidations. Although the latter two have important roles in health and disease, for the enzymologist HDH offers the advantage of a long and interesting genetic history, and is particularly well suited to molecular approaches.
Strength in Numbers: How Does Data-Driven Decisionmaking Affect Firm Performance?

We examine whether firms that emphasize decision making based on data and business analytics (“data driven decision making” or DDD) show higher performance. Using detailed survey data on the business practices and information technology investments of 179 large publicly traded firms, we find that firms that adopt DDD have output and productivity that is 5-6% higher than what would be expected given their other investments and information technology usage. Furthermore, the relationship between DDD and performance also appears in other performance measures such as asset utilization, return on equity and market value. Using instrumental variables methods, we find evidence that the effect of DDD on the productivity do not appear to be due to reverse causality. Our results provide some of the first large scale data on the direct connection between data-driven decision making and firm performance.
Quantificational Binding Does Not Require C-Command

Some version of the following claim is almost universally assumed: a quantifier must c-command any pronoun that it binds. Yet as I show, the evidence motivating this claim is not particularly strong. In addition, I gather here a wide variety of systematic counterexamples, some well-known, others new. I conclude that c-command is not relevant for quantificational binding in English (nor is any refinement or extension of c-command).
Effects of grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue on eCG and progestogen concentrations from gestation days 21 to 300 in the mare

Abstract The influence of grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue on endometrial cup formation and function, progestogen production, and embryonic and fetal development were examined in pregnant mares between Day 21 and Day 300 of gestation. Total immunoreactive progestogens and equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) concentrations were compared between untreated controls (endophyte-free, n = 12) and treated mares (endophyte-infected, n = 12). There were no differences in endometrial cup formation or function, as determined by eCG concentrations at Days 45, 60, 75, 90 and 120 (P > 0.05) between mares grazing endophyte-infected and endophyte-free tall fescue. Mares grazing the endophyte-infected tall fescue had lower total progestogen concentrations (P
Adenocarcinoma of the lung in men. A clinicopathologic study of 100 cases.

One hendred adenocarcinomas of the lung were studied. Adenocarcinoma accounted for 9% of primary pulmonary malignancies in men examined for this study. Clinical features included peripheral location (65%), frequent lack of symptoms (28%), and difficulty in making a diagnosis prior to thoracotomy. Seventy-one per cent of the adenocarcionmas were resected with only 9% 5-year cures. Vascular invasion, pleural invasion, and degree of tumor differentiation were of no prognostic significance, but metastasis to lymph nodes and large tumor size were adverse factors. Almost half of the adenocarcinomas were associated with pre-existent pulmonary scars, with transition from atypical metaplasia to carcinoma. Scar-associated carcinomas seemed to have a more favorable prognosis. Reasons for the low cure rate are unclear. The incidence of lymph node and vasular nvasion is comparable to other bronchogenic and “recurrences” or “pulmojnary metastasis” may represent second primaries arising in such foci.
Neonatal liver abscesses due to Candida infection effectively treated with caspofungin.

UNLABELLED Candidiasis is relatively frequent in neonatal and pediatric intensive care units (ICUs), particularly in preterm infants less than 28 weeks of gestational age. Neonatal candidiasis shows high mortality and is often associated to poor neurodevelopmental prognosis in survivor patients. Amphotericin B and fluconazole are the first choice drugs for the treatment of neonatal candidiasis. Caspofungin is an alternative antifungal agent, which is recommended for invasive candidiasis in adults, but has been poorly experienced in neonates and infants as far as now. We report the first two infants with Candida liver abscesses treated with caspofungin. In the first infant bloodstream and liver lesions were cleared by combination therapy with fluconazole, liposomal amphotericin and caspofungin, while in the second one by caspofungin alone. CONCLUSION Our observations confirm the efficacy and tolerability of caspofungin in the treatment of neonatal candidiasis refractory to conventional antifungal drugs. More extensive data are recommended in order to asses a specific neonatal schedule.
Current concepts in radiation enteritis and implications for future clinical trials.

Division of Hematology/Oncology, University ofTennessee, Memphis, Tennessee.The authors thank Brenda M. Lewis and RandySteward for their efforts in the preparation of thisarticle.Address for reprints: Nam P. Nguyen, M.D., De-partment of Radiation Oncology, University ofTexas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, VANorth Texas Health Care System, S. LancasterRoad, Dallas, TX 75216; Fax: (214) 857-0145;E-mail: namphong.nguyen@med.va.govReceived January 4, 2002; revision received Jan-uary 4, 2002; accepted April 16, 2002.
Forgiving the September 11th terrorists: Associations with coping, psychological distress, and religiosity

Two studies examined how non-interpersonal forgiveness (when there is no social relationship between the transgressor and forgiver) related to coping and involuntary responses to stress, psychological distress, and religiosity. Three to six weeks after September 11th, 2001, forgiveness had non-linear associations with other responses to the terrorist attacks. Among college students (N=488), those who were trying or had forgiven (pro-forgiveness) the terrorists reported less involuntary engagement, more primary and secondary control coping, and more meaning finding than those who were unsure about forgiveness (ambivalent) and those who did not believe the perpetrators should be forgiven (anti-forgiveness). Ambivalent students reported the most distress, even after controlling for religion. Anti-forgiveness students reported less religiosity than ambivalent and pro-forgiveness students. Most findings were consistent among middle schoolers (N=154), particularly regarding psychological distress and responses to stress. Also, forgiveness of strangers for acts against one's community functioned separately from religion.
A Study of Coupled Thermomechanical, Thermohydrological and Hydromechanical Processes Associated with a Nuclear Waste Repository in a Fractured Rock Medium

It has been recognized that coupled thermomechanical, thermohydrologic, and hydromechanical processes may play an important role in the behavior of the geologic formation around a nuclear waste repository. A numerical code, ROCMAS, was recently developed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory to calculate coupled heat transfer, fluid flow, and mechanical deformation in a fractured porous medium. Three scoping studies using this model are described in this paper, with the following preliminary conclusions. The thermomechanical simulations of a fractured rock mass show that the fractures can absorb the thermally induced rock deformations, thus possibly explaining the observed behavior of the granite rocks in the experiment at Stripa, Sweden. The variations in fracture aperture profiles in the hydromechanical simulations indicate that the rigid fracture assumptions used in most uncoupled studies may not be a good representation of fracture behavior. The thermohydromechanical model study reveals that perturbations induced by a heater may close a fracture near the heater borehole and stop the water inflow to the borehole.
Use of multiple azimuthal angles to enable advanced scatterometry applications

The ability to extract critical parameters using scatterometry depends on the parameter sensitivity and correlation at different wavelengths. These, in turn, determine the key metrics: accuracy, precision, and tool-to-tool matching. Parameter sensitivity and correlation can vary drastically, depending on whether the oblique incident light beam is parallel (azimuth angle = 90 degrees), perpendicular (azimuth angle = 0 degrees), or at an intermediate angle to the measured structures. In this paper, we explore the use of both variable- and multiple-azimuth (AZ) (or multi-AZ) angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) to optimize the measurement performance for different applications. The first example compares the sensitivity and results using SE at 0 and 90 degree AZ angles for a BEOL post-litho metal trench application. We observe up to a sixfold improvement in key metrics for critical parameters using 90 degree over 0 degree AZ angle spectra. The second example illustrates the benefits of a multiple-AZ angle approach to extract critical parameters for a twodimensional logic High-K Metal Gate (HKMG) structure. Typically, this approach simultaneously fits two sets of SE spectra collected from the same location on the wafer at different AZ angles with the same physical model. This helps both validate and decorrelate critical parameters, enabling robust measurements. Results show that, for this application, the measurement performance metrics for each critical parameter are improved in almost every case.
Are “Passive” Extension Exercises Really Passive?

When rehabilitating patients with back dysfunction, extension exercises that are presumably “passive” for the erector spinae muscles are frequently used. The purpose of this study was to record electromyographic (EMG) activity from back extensor muscles to determine if these muscles are truly inactive during these maneuvers. Surface EMG was recorded bilaterally from lower lumbar muscles in 62 pain-free subjects. The root-mean-square EMG activity, recorded in μV, for the four positions tested was (): lying prone (1.268 ± 0.902), extension in lying prone (6.713 ± 6.976), standing neutral (4.760 ± 3.282), and extension in standing (3.558 ± 2.273). One-way ANOVA for repeated measures and Tukey's post hoc test were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that EMG activity was greatest for extension in lying prone (p .05), and least when lying prone (p < .05). The results of this study demonstrated that “passive” extension exercises were not tru...
Dobutamine stress echocardiography. Stressing the indications for preoperative testing.

In the current issue of Circulation, Poldermans et al1 report on the long-term prognostic value of dobutamine stress echocardiography in patients undergoing major vascular surgery. Their findings add to the growing literature on the use of exercise and dobutamine stress echocardiography as adjuncts in the assessment of prognosis among patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. To date, the published experience with dobutamine stress echocardiography for assessment of prognosis and perioperative risk is relatively small compared with that using nuclear perfusion imaging techniques. Stress echocardiography is a more recently developed technique to detect coronary artery disease and myocardial ischemia, and all studies related to prognosis have been published since 1991. However, stress echocardiography is of increasing importance because of the increasing availability these techniques and because ofseveral advantages it offers over nuclear perfusion imaging. In addition to providing apparently equivalent data with respect to the presence and extent of coronary artery disease and myocardium at risk, dobutamine stress echocardiography allows assessment of valvular anatomy and function as well as resting and stress ventricular systolic function. This allows a more complete assessment of overall cardiac function, pertinent especially among patients with a history of congestive heart failure or cardiac murmur. Finally, stress echocardiographic techniques appear to have lower associated costs than the equivalent nuclear perfusion imaging counterparts, which may become increasingly important as the healthcare environment requires the delivery of cost-effective medical care. Poldermans et al2 and others3 4 have previously published reports on the utility of dobutamine stress echocardiography in the assessment of prognosis in a general population4 and for the identification of patients at increased perioperative risk during major vascular surgery.2 3 The report in the current issue of Circulation is important in that it describes the long-term prognostic data afforded by preoperative …
Cryopumping the Omnitron Ultra-Vacuum System Using "Heat Pipes" and Metallic Conductors

The Omnitron (Fig. 1) is a synchrotron (120 ft. diam) accelerator with a concentric storage ring (130 ft. diam) that will deliver beams of light and/or heavy ions at different energies and currents. Storage of heavy ions in a high-charge state for 25 msec requires that the vacuum be specified more carefully than is common in everyday speech. (Reference to "air" and "pressure" serve well enough, if not taken too literally.) Thus in place of a pressure specificatio a conservatively crude figure of merit, 1014 ? ?niZ21 is used where: N = 3×107 turns around the acceluator, ni = the concentration of atoms of the ith atomic number Zi. Cryopumping is done by cold fingers inserted in each gap between magnets on both the synchrotron and storage rings (190 pumping stations total - see Fig. 1). Each finger, consisting of an 80°K jacket around a 4°K core, is cooled at one end by metallic attachment to nitrogen and helium distribution rings. Pump-down tests of one full size pumping station (Figs 2 & 3) comprising an alumina beam tube brazed to stainless steel are reported using "heat pipes" (thermal siphons) and metallic heat conductors in the cold finger design. Superior pumping performance is achieved, i.e., pump down requires 7 hrs to the Omnitron figure of merit. A garden variety oil sealed mechanicel pump and an oil (convoil 20) diffusion pump provided with fail safe LN trap-valves are used.
ac Stark splitting in double optical resonance and resonance fluorescence by a nonmonochromatic chaotic field

A detailed theoretical analysis of ac Stark splitting in double optical resonance and resonance fluorescence by a nonmonochromatic complex chaotic field is presented. It is shown that a one-photon transition undergoes Stark splitting, which is strongly affected by the intensity fluctuations of the chaotic light. On resonance, the lines in the doublet structure of double optical resonance and the sidebands of the triplet structure in resonance fluorescence are broadened by the intensity fluctuations and tend to copy the Rayleigh distribution of the field amplitude. Off resonance, the asymmetry of the doublet in double optical resonance is reversed and a sideband asymmetry appears in resonance fluorescence for finite bandwidth of the incident light. While on resonance the splitting is always reduced, off resonance the intensity fluctuations may lead to an enhancement of the splitting in comparison to phase-diffusing light.
Contemporary anthropogenic silver cycle: a multilevel analysis.

Anthropogenic cycling of silver in 1997 is presented using three discrete governmental units: 64 countries encompassing what we believe to be over 90% of global silver flows, 9 world regions, and the entire planet. Using material flow analysis (MFA) techniques, the country level cycles are aggregated to produce the regional cycles, which are used to form a “best estimate” global cycle. Interesting findings include the following: (1) several silver-mining countries export ore and concentrate but also import silver-containing semiproducts and products; (2) the level of development for a country, as indicated by the gross domestic product, is a fair indicator of silver use, but several significant outliers exist; (3) the countries with the greatest mine production include Mexico, the United States, Peru, and China, whereas the United States, Japan, India, Germany, and Italy lead in the fabrication and manufacture of products; (4) North America and Europe's use of silver products exceed that of other region...
On-line UV-photooxidation with peroxodisulfate for automated flow injection and for high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry

Abstract An automated on-line UV photooxidation with peroxodisulfate of some environmentally relevant organoarsenic and organotin compounds in a system built from commercially available modules has been studied and optimised with a view to both species-independent quantification of the total arsenic or tin in samples containing different organic species by flow injection hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (FI–HGAAS) and speciation analysis by coupled high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with HGAAS detection. For organoarsenicals, the reaction with alkaline peroxodisulfate in a 10–15-m knotted reactor for >1.5 min insures >90% transformation of inorganic As(III) and six organoarsenic species to arsenate: monomethylarsonate, dimethylarsinate, arsenobetaine, arsenocholine, trimethylarsine oxide and tetramethylarsonium. For organotins, the UV photooxidation with acidic peroxodisulfate at 95–100°C provides recoveries of >80% for the inorganic tin, dimethyltin, trimethyltin, triethyltin, tripropyltin, triphenyltin, monobutyltin, dibutyltin and tributyltin but only approximately 15% for tetrabutyltin. The best characteristic masses in integrated absorbance ( A int ) and peak-height ( A p ) measurements, respectively, are 30 pg and 480 pg for arsenic(V) and 22 pg and 410 pg for tin(IV), employing 100-μl injections. The RSDs are 5.5% and 8.5% at 5 ng As(V) levels and 4.3% and 6.4% at 10 ng Sn(IV) levels in A int and A p modes, respectively. The limits of detection (LOD, 3σ) for As are 7 μg l −1 and 4 μg l −1 in FI-UV–HGAAS and HPLC–UV–HGAAS, respectively. The LODs for i-Sn(IV) are 2 μg l −1 in FI-UV–HGAAS, with both A int and A p measurements. The sample throughput rates are 20 and 12 samples per hour with 10-m and 15-m knotted reactors (i.d. 0.5 mm), respectively. Urine certified reference materials containing 0.052–0.48 μg ml −1 As have been analysed for their total arsenic content.
Moral issues and gender differences in ethical judgment using Reidenbach and Robin's (1990) multidimensional ethics scale: Implications in teaching of business ethics

In this study, we examined moral issues and gender differences in ethical judgment using Reidenbach and Robin’s [Journal of Business Ethics 9 (1990) 639) multidimensional ethics scale (MES). A total of 340 undergraduate students were asked to provide ethical judgment by rating three moral issues in the MES labeled: ‚sales’, ‚auto’, and ‚retail’ using three ethics theories: moral equity, relativism, and contractualism. We found that female students’ ratings of ethical judgment were consistently higher than that of male students across two out of three moral issues examined (i.e., sales and retails) and ethics theories; providing support for Eagly’s [1987, Sex Differences in Social Behavior: A Social-role Interpretation. (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc, Hillsdale, NJ, England)] social role theory. After controlling for moral issues, women’s higher ratings of ethical judgment over men’s became statistically non-significant. Theoretical and practical implications based on the study’s findings are provided.
Productively Waiting for Latecomers

(2006). Productively Waiting for Latecomers. College Teaching: Vol. 54, No. 1, pp. 181-208.
Time derivative of earthquake acceleration

Unlike acceleration, velocity, and displacement, the time derivative of acceleration (TDoA) of ground motion has not been extensively studied. In this paper, the basic characteristics of TDoA are evaluated based on records from the 1999 Chi-Chi, earthquake (Mw 7.6) and one of its aftershocks (Mw 6.2). It is found that the maximum TDoA at a free-field station was over 31,200 cm/s3 (31.8 g/s); and the duration of “strong” TDoA, between the first and the last time points exceeding 2,000 cm/s3 (2 g/s), was almost one minute near the epicenter area. Since ground TDoA sensors are not commonly available, the time series are calculated by direct numerical differentiation of acceleration time series. Relative error analysis shows that the error is non-transitive and total error is within 4%. The density function of TDoA amplitude, frequency content and spatial distribution of peak ground jerk (PGJ) are evaluated. The study also includes examination of some TDoA responses from a seven-story building and comparison of ground TDoA with the limit TDoA used in the transportation industry for ride comfort. Some potential impacts of TDoA on humans have also been reviewed.
Efficient coupling into tapered proton-exchanged LiNbO(3) waveguides fabricated by vertically controlled immersion.

Planar LiNbO3 waveguides with a 5-mm tapered region and a 10-mm homogeneous slab waveguide region were fabricated by a double proton-exchange process. The 4-μm waveguide entrance gives rise to a coupling efficiency as high as 93%; the precise control of the depth profile of the tapered region results in a low 1-dB power transfer loss from the tapered region to the 0.4-μm-depth working region. The techniques developed provide an alternative to prism coupling into planar waveguides in Cerenkov second-harmonic generation applications.
Insecticides Applied to Western Tussock Moth Reared on Artificial Diet: Laboratory Tests

Eighteen insecticides were tested on 4th-stage larvae of Hemerocampa vetusta (Boisduval). Eleven insecticides were highly toxic: pyrethroids were the most toxic. Six other insecticides gave toxicity indexes between 48 and 68 Four were only slightly more toxic than DDT. Two of the insecticides killed less than 50% of a test population at the highest dose tested, 1000 µg/g body weight. Although the western tussock moth has been reported to have 5 larval stages, 6 were observed. Larvae that molted to the 6th stage were usually female.