cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Beyond guidelines: analysis of current practice patterns of AANS/CNS tumor neurosurgeons

Evidence-based medicine guidelines are increasingly published and sanctioned by organized neurosurgery. However, implementation, interpretation, and use of clinical guidelines may vary substantially on a regional, national and international basis. Survey research can help bridge the gap by providing a snapshot of neurosurgeon attitudes, knowledge, and practices. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons (AANS/CNS) Section on Tumors formed a Survey Committee to formalize the process by which surveys are submitted and reviewed before distribution to our membership. The goal of this committee is to provide peer-review so that collected information will be scientifically robust and useful to the neurosurgical community. Surveys submitted to the AANS/CNS tumor section between 2015 and 2019 were reviewed and metrics such as response rate and publication status assessed. Six surveys were submitted to the Survey Committee of the AANS/CNS section on tumors between 2015 and 2019. Four have been circulated to section members, of which three have been published. Response rate has averaged 19% (range 16–23%), a majority of respondents (mean 70%) practice in academic settings. The AANS/CNS Section on Tumors Survey Committee has and continues to help promote and improve the practice of surveying our community to answer important questions that can advance future training, research, and practice. There remains significant room for improvement in response rates, but ongoing tumor section efforts to increase member engagement will likely improve these numbers.
Intraperitoneal Barium From Gastrointestinal Perforations: Reassessment of the Prognosis and Long-Term Effects

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to reassess the outcome and potential consequences of intraperitoneal barium leakage during radiologic evaluation of the gastrointestinal tract. MATERIALS AND METHODS. This retrospective study included 18 patients who had significant intraperitoneal leakage of barium from gastrointestinal perforations that were not suspected or diagnosed before the radiologic procedures. This complication occurred during a barium enema examination in nine patients, an upper gastrointestinal study in seven, and a small bowel series in two patients. All patients underwent urgent laparotomy for repair of perforation, with vigorous peritoneal lavage and antibiotic therapy. RESULTS. All patients had an uneventful recovery and were followed for 4-17 years (mean, 8.5 years). Radiographs obtained during this interval showed that a significant amount of residual barium was retained in the abdominal cavity. Six patients had a total of 10 subsequent abdominal operations for unrelated conditions, and some had developed barium granulomas and peritoneal adhesions. However, none of the patients in this series experienced intestinal obstruction or any clinical symptoms related to barium deposits in the abdominal cavity. CONCLUSION. Intraperitoneal leakage of barium is a rare complication of radiologic gastrointestinal examinations, and this series of 18 cases reflects 3 decades of experience at two major medical centers. The presented data indicate that the commonly held and perpetuated concept about the high rate of morbidity and mortality of this complication would not be valid in the modern era of medical and surgical management.
Sunitinib-Loaded Chondroitin Sulfate Hydrogels as a Novel Drug-Delivery Mechanism for the Treatment of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors.

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) are increasingly common. Experts debate whether small tumors should be resected. Tumor destruction via injection of cytotoxic agents could offer a minimal invasive approach to this controversy. We hypothesize that a new drug delivery system comprising chondroitin sulfate (CS) hydrogels loaded with sunitinib (SUN) suppresses tumor growth in PanNET cells. Injectable hydrogels composed of CS modified with methacrylate groups (MA) were fabricated and loaded with SUN. Loading target was either 200 µg (SUN200-G) or 500 µg (SUN500-G) as well as sham hydrogel with no drug loading (SUN0-G). SUN release from hydrogels was monitored in vitro over time and cytotoxicity induced by the released SUN was evaluated using QGP-1 and BON1 PanNET cell lines. QGP-1 xenografts were developed in 35 mice and directly injected with 25 µL of either SUN200-G, SUN500-G, SUN0-G, 100 µL of Sunitinib Malate (SUN-inj), or given 40 mg/kg/day oral sunitinib (SUN-oral). SUN-loaded CSMA hydrogel retained complete in vitro cytotoxicity toward the QGP-1 PanNET and BON-1 PanNET cell lines for 21 days. Mouse xenograft models with QGP-1 PanNETs showed a significant delay in tumor growth in the SUN200/500-G, SUN-inj and SUN-oral groups compared with SUN0-G (p = 0.0014). SUN500-G hydrogels induced significantly more tumor necrosis than SUN0-G (p = 0.04). There was no difference in tumor growth delay between SUN200/500G, SUN-inj, and SUN-oral. This study demonstrates that CSMA hydrogels loaded with SUN suppress PanNETs growth. This drug delivery could approach represents a novel way to treat PanNETs and other neoplasms via intratumoral injection.
Agonism and grooming behavior explain social status effects on physiology and gene regulation in rhesus macaques

Variation in social status predicts molecular, physiological, and life history outcomes across a broad range of species, including our own. Experimental studies indicate that some of these relationships persist even when the physical environment is held constant. Here, we draw on data sets from one such study-experimental manipulation of dominance rank in captive female rhesus macaques-to investigate how social status shapes the lived experience of these animals to alter gene regulation, glucocorticoid physiology, and mitochondrial DNA phenotypes. We focus specifically on dominance rank-associated dimensions of the social environment, including both competitive and affiliative interactions. Our results show that simple summaries of rank-associated behavioral interactions are often better predictors of molecular and physiological outcomes than dominance rank itself. However, while measures of immune function are best explained by agonism rates, glucocorticoid-related phenotypes tend to be more closely linked to affiliative behavior. We conclude that dominance rank serves as a useful summary for investigating social environmental effects on downstream outcomes. Nevertheless, the behavioral interactions that define an individual9s daily experiences reveal the proximate drivers of social status-related differences, and are especially relevant for understanding why individuals who share the same social status sometimes appear physiologically distinct.
On Multi-Modal Learning of Editing Source Code

In recent years, Neural Machine Translator (NMT) has shown promise in automatically editing source code. Typical NMT based code editor only considers the code that needs to be changed as input and suggests developers with a ranked list of patched code to choose from - where the correct one may not always be at the top of the list. While NMT based code editing systems generate a broad spectrum of plausible patches, the correct one depends on the developers' requirement and often on the context where the patch is applied. Thus, if developers provide some hints, using natural language, or providing patch context, NMT models can benefit from them. As a proof of concept, in this research, we leverage three modalities of information: edit location, edit code context, commit messages (as a proxy of developers' hint in natural language) to automatically generate edits with NMT models. To that end, we build MODIT, a multi-modal NMT based code editing engine. With in-depth investigation and analysis, we show that developers' hint as an input modality can narrow the search space for patches and outperform state-of-the-art models to generate correctly patched code in top-1 position.
In New England, Partisan Differences In ACA Marketplace Participation And Potential Financial Harm.

Political orientation can be a powerful motivator of certain health care decisions. This study examines how political orientation was associated with decisions to use the Affordable Care Act Market...
Ordinary Clients, Overreaching Lawyers, and the Failure to Implement Adequate Client Protection Measures

Every year, thousands of individual clients are victimized by overreaching lawyers who overcharge clients, refuse to return unearned fees, or steal client money. Starting in the 1980s, the American Bar Association considered, and often proposed, client protection measures aimed at protecting clients from overreaching lawyers. These measures include requirements that lawyers use written fee agreements in their dealings with clients and Model Rules for Fee Arbitration, Client Protection Funds, Insurance Payee Notification, and Random Audits of Trust Accounts. This article examines what happened to these ABA recommendations when the states considered them and assesses the current state of client protection in the United States. It reveals that many jurisdictions have declined to adopt these measures or have adopted variations that do not adequately protect vulnerable clients. As a result, most states do not require lawyers to use written fee agreements and in most jurisdictions, ordinary clients have no meaningful recourse when fee disputes arise because lawyers are not required to arbitrate those disputes. While all states have established client protection funds to help reimburse clients who are victimized by their lawyers, many clients are not sufficiently compensated due to the low caps on recovery placed on some funds. At the same time, most states have declined to adopt other client protection measures that would help deter and detect lawyer defalcations. Why has this failure to protect ordinary clients occurred? The answer appears to be, in part, that state courts have paid insufficient attention to these issues or deferred to the state bars. The state bars have sometimes opposed these measures or implemented them in ways that inadequately protect the public. States with mandatory state bars—which are sometimes deeply involved in the rulemaking process—appear more likely to adopt fewer client protection measures. The article suggests that if state courts will not act to better protect ordinary clients, then state legislatures can and should do so.
Resistance sources, resistance screening techniques and disease management for Fusarium wilt in cotton

Fusarium wilt (FW), caused by the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum (FOV), is a significant economic constraint to cotton production worldwide. The pathogen has a wide geographical distribution, and its biological characteristics have enabled its establishment of eight races in several agro-ecosystems spanning from regions with high precipitation to semi-arid and arid irrigated zones. Management of Fusarium wilt is challenging because of the ability of FOV to persist in production systems through formation of long-lived chlamydospores and through its parasitic and pathogenic associations with cotton and other rotational cops and weeds. The interaction of FOV with nematodes constitutes additional constraints to the management of the disease. Breeding and utilizing FW-resistant cultivars has proven to be the most cost-effective control method. Numerous approaches and methods have been used in screening cotton for resistance to FW. This review provides a background on accumulated knowledge over the past two decades on sources of FW resistance and methods of screening for resistance including inoculation and evaluation protocols in cotton. The review also provides an overview of the biology and management of FOV.
OLTIPRAZ-INDUCED AMELIORATION OF ACETAMINOPHEN HEPATOTOXICITY IN HAMSTERS.I, LACK OF DEPENDENCE ON GLUTATHIONE

Abstract These studies were designed to test the hypothesis that oltipraz (OTP) provided protection against AAP intoxication in a sensitive species, the hamster; and further, to show that the sparing effect was related to the marked increase in hepatic reduced glutathione (GSH) levels. Dose-response and time-course experiments demonstrated that maximal increases in liver GSH occurred at 48 hr after an oltipraz dose of approximately 2.0 mmol/kg (po). Accompanying greater GSH levels were increased glutathione disulfide (GSSG) levels. Decreased indices of the oxidation state of glutathione and of hepatic pyridine nucleotides indicated a greater share of glutathione existed as GSH and that increased reducing equivalents were present, respectively. Additionally, glutathione disulfide reductase activity was greater in OTP-treated groups. Glutathione S -transferase activities were only marginally increased. OTP treatment did not elicit observable hepatotoxicity, whereas AAP (2.6 mmol/kg, ip) resulted in a reproducible model of liver damage. OTP-treated groups were protected from AAP-induced toxicity, as shown by decreased plasma appearance of liver enzymes and unremarkable histopathology. However, the degree of liver GSH depletion by AAP was fourfold greater in non-OTP treated groups compared to those which had received the dithiolthione. To test the importance of increased hepatic GSH. the biosynthesis of glutathione was interrupted. Buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) treatment decreased hepatic GSH, the biosynthesis of glutathione was interrupted. Buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) treatment decreased hepatic GSH content to 50% of control in hamsters which either had or had not received OTP. The groups receiving BSO and AAP incurred 83% lethality, while no lethality, unremarkable liver histopathology, and plasma enzyme levels consistent with control were found in the group receiving OTP, BSO, and AAP. Treatment with BSO only had no influence on hepatotoxicity parameters. These results indicate that the increased GSH levels in the OTP-treated hamster are coincidental to the sparing effect of OTP and are not central to the protection scheme in AAP-induced hepatotoxicity.
Immune and Inflammatory Role in Renal Disease

Chronic and acute renal diseases, irrespective of the initiating cause, have inflammation and immune system activation as a common underlying mechanism. The purpose of this review is to provide a broad overview of immune cells and inflammatory proteins that contribute to the pathogenesis of renal disease, and to discuss some of the physiological changes that occur in the kidney as a result of immune system activation. An overview of common forms of acute and chronic renal disease is provided, followed by a discussion of common therapies that have anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive effects in the treatment of renal disease.
Flexible Incentives: A Unifying Framework for Policy Analysis

The difficulties inherent in controlling nonpoint-source pollution (NSP) have led to an interest in the use of flexible incentive mechanisms as a means of reducing agricultural pollution. A framework for analyzing alternative flexible incentive mechanisms is presented in this chapter. The framework includes sole reliance on cost-sharing incentives and mandatory instruments (such as taxes and regulations) as special cases. It also shows how alternative mechanisms, discussed in other chapters in this volume, fit into an overall model of farmer incentives. It demonstrates, however, the potential gains from creating incentives to reduce NSP by using both subsidy and mandatory instruments as complements in a policy package. A brief discussion of recent examples of policies that are based on this approach is presented.
Characterizations of Transmuted Complementary Weibull Geometric Distribution

We present certain characterizations of a recently introduced distribution (Afify et al., 2014), called Transmuted Complementary Weibull Geometric distribution based on: ( ) hazard function ; ( ) a simple relation between two truncated moments. We like to mention that the characterization ( ) which is expressed in terms of the ratio of truncated moments is stable in the sense of weak convergence. It does not require a closed form for the cumulative distribution function and serves as a bridge between a first order differential equation and probability.
Perinatal asphyxia and psychologic signs of brain damage in childhood.

A prospective study on the psychologic effects of perinatal asphyxia is reported. It is the second report of follow-up studies of a sample of newborns selected at random from an obstetrical ward service in New York City. The first study showed no effect of early asphyxia as measured by oxygen content of heel blood in the neonatal period. Further investigation seemed indicated, using more extensive measures both of early asphyxia and psychologic effects. In the present study, early asphyxia was defined by perinatal complications and by level of oxygen content in neonatal blood. Psychologic evaluation included 23 diagnostic signs of brain damage based on an IQ test, special experimental tests of brain damage, school report cards, and behavior ratings. Children with perinatal complications showed a statistically significant decrement on the IQ test and on three special tests of brain damage: the Bender-Gestalt, Sorting test, and Critical Flicker Frequency. However, the clinical significance of these positive findings must be viewed with caution in the light of the relatively small mean decrement of 4.87 points in IQ and the negative findings on the remaining special tests of brain damage. A discussion of the conflicting results of the present and past research yielded suggestions for refinements in the clinical criteria of perinatal asphyxia, the psychologic instruments, and the selection of experimental controls. While statistically significant relationships were demonstrated between multiple clinical criteria of perinatal asphyxia and several psychologic signs of brain damage in childhood, no such relationships were shown for the measurements of oxygen content in neonatal blood. The limitations of measurement of oxygen content are discussed together with suggestions for future research.
Combination of eccentric exercise and neuromuscular electrical stimulation to improve biomechanical limb symmetry after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Background We have previously reported that an eccentrically-based rehabilitation protocol post-ACLr induced greater quadriceps activation and strength than a neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) intervention and was just as effective as a combined NMES and eccentric intervention. However, the effect an eccentrically-based intervention has on restoring normal knee mechanics during a single-legged landing task remains unknown.
Postural control of a two degree of freedom biped using a simple neural network

A neural network controller, employing 3 neuron-like adaptive elements, was used to control a planar double-inverted pendulum biped model. The net learned to balance the biped about the vertical equilibrium point and maintain dynamic stability. Simulations show consistent similarities between model dynamics and human postural dynamics, despite the simple controller architecture, and encourage further evaluation using more elaborate models.
Risk of Initiating Antiarrhythmic Drug Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation in Patients Admitted to a University Hospital

Background: The risks of antiarrhythmic therapy are increasingly recognized, but the risks associated with the initiation of antiarrhythmic therapy in patients hospitalized for atrial fibrillation ...
Pairing Courses Across the Disciplines: Effects on Writing Performance

Writing performance of a complex recommendation report produced by student teams for an actual client during a 15-week semester was compared in a writing-intensive Agronomy 356 course and in paired...
Magnetic resonance imaging in primary bone tumors

Summary MRI plays a major role in the evaluation and treatment planning of bone tumors. It should be used following plain films and before biopsy. The MR appearance of most tumors is nonspecific; however, the entire extent of the tumor and its relationship to adjacent structures can be determined at MRI providing a road map for the surgeon. The role of dynamic enhancement is evolving and has not yet been determined.
English-Spanish Cognates in Picture Books: Toward a Vocabulary Curriculum for Latino ELLs

English-Spanish cognates are words that are spelled similarly or identically and possess the same or nearly the same meanings in both languages. Many cognates are academic vocabulary words and are very common in content area textbooks. The primary purpose of this investigation was to obtain an estimate of the number of different cognates in picture books. Two studies of picture books were conducted to determine their English-Spanish cognate content. Both studies found significant numbers of cognates in the picture books. Furthermore, it was found that trade books written in Spanish contained more unique cognates than those written in English. Finally, a free online database of the picture books and their cognates was presented.
Theoretical modeling of prion disease incubation

We apply a theoretical aggregation model to laboratory and epidemiological prion disease incubation time data. In our model, slow growth of misfolded protein aggregates from small initial seeds controls the latent or lag phase; aggregate fissioning and subsequent spreading leads to an exponential growth phase. Our model accounts for the striking reproducibility of incubation times for high dose inoculation of lab animals. In particular, low dose yields broad incubation time distributions, and increasing dose narrows distributions and yields sharply defined onset times. We also explore how incubation time statistics depend upon aggregate morphology. We apply our model to fit the experimental dose-incubation curves for distinct strains of scrapie, and explain logarithmic variation at high dose and deviations from logarithmic behavior at low dose. We use this to make testable predictions for infectivity time-course experiments.
Cisplatin administered by the intracavitary route as treatment for malignant mesothelioma.

Twenty-one patients with malignant mesothelioma were treated with an experimental Intracavitary chemotherapy regimen of weekly intraperitoneal or intrapleural cisplatin (90–100 mg/m2) with simultaneous intravenous sodium thiosulfate delivered to protect against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. One of eight patients (12.5%) receiving intrapleural therapy and nine of 13 patients receiving intraperitoneal therapy demonstrated objective evidence of a clinical response, including three surgically defined major tumor regressions (23%). Patients receiving intrapleural treatment had more advanced disease prior to therapy than those receiving intraperitoneal therapy. It was concluded that intraperitoneal cisplatin is an active treatment program for intra-abdominally localized mesothelioma. Additional investigation of intrapleural cisplatin should be undertaken in a patient population with less advanced disease or following surgical debulking. Cancer 58:18–21, 1986.
Phase Behavior of CO2/Hydrocarbon Systems: Amendments to Previously Predicted Phase Diagrams

This paper reports that in using the Peng-Robinson equation of state (PREOS) described, the authors found discrepancies with their results. By using two separate methods of computation, they deduced that their method is correct, but that some code or implementation errors must have caused the observed discrepancies.
Localization and characteristics of the cortical waves associated with eye movement in the cat

Abstract Movable and fixed bipolar electrodes were used to study the cortical PGO (ponto-geniculo-occipital) waves associated with eye movement during wakefulness and the REM (rapid eye movement) phase of sleep. During both states, PGO waves were localized primarily to the marginal and suprasylvian gyri. When electrodes were inserted in small increments into either gyrus, PGO waves were recorded as negative potentials which increased in amplitude as the deeper cortical laminae were approached, and then diminished slightly as the electrode passed into the underlying white matter. Studies correlating PGO waves with eye movement, measured cinematographically, demonstrated that every saccadic eye movement was associated with a PGO wave, the initial deflection of the wave lagging the onset of eye movement by 25–40 msec. However, no relationship was found between the amplitude, velocity, duration or direction of the eye movement and the amplitude of the related cortical wave. The data suggest that cortical PGO waves are the consequence of postsynaptic depolarization, in the region of the soma, of neurons located in the deeper cortical laminae. Both the cortical localization of PGO waves and their constant temporal relationship to eye movement are consistent with the hypothesis that this electrical activity is related to some aspect of oculomotor-visual integration.
Generalized Linear Models with Random Effects; a Gibbs Sampling Approach

Abstract Generalized linear models have unified the approach to regression for a wide variety of discrete, continuous, and censored response variables that can be assumed to be independent across experimental units. In applications such as longitudinal studies, genetic studies of families, and survey sampling, observations may be obtained in clusters. Responses from the same cluster cannot be assumed to be independent. With linear models, correlation has been effectively modeled by assuming there are cluster-specific random effects that derive from an underlying mixing distribution. Extensions of generalized linear models to include random effects has, thus far, been hampered by the need for numerical integration to evaluate likelihoods. In this article, we cast the generalized linear random effects model in a Bayesian framework and use a Monte Carlo method, the Gibbs sampler, to overcome the current computational limitations. The resulting algorithm is flexible to easily accommodate changes in the number...
Fiber-Optic Sensor And Smart Structures Research At Florida Institute Of Technology

This paper discusses the fundamental issues being investigated by Florida Institute of Technology (F.I.T.) to implement the technology of smart structural systems for DoD, NASA, and commercial applications. Embedded sensors and actuators controlled by processors can provide a modification of the mechanical characteristics of composite structures to produce smart structures1-3. Recent advances in material science have spurred the development and use of composite materials in a wide range of applications from rotocraft blades and advanced tactical fighter aircraft to undersea and aerospace structures. Along with the advantages of an increased strength-to-weight ratio, the use of these materials has raised a number of questions related to understanding their failure mechanisms. Also, being able to predict structural failures far enough in advance to prevent them and to provide real-time structural health and damage monitoring has become a realistic possibility. Unfortunately, conventional sensors, actuators, and digital processors, although highly developed and well proven for other systems, may not be best suited for most smart structure applications. Our research has concentrated on few-mode and polarimetric single-fiber strain sensors4-7 and optically activated shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators controlled by artificial neural processors. We have constructed and characterized both few-mode and polarimetric sensors for a variety of fiber types, including standard single-mode, high-birefringence polarization preserving, and low-birefringence polarization insensitive fibers. We have investigated signal processing techniques for these sensors and have demonstrated active phase tracking for the high- and low-birefringence polarimetric sensors through the incorporation into the system of an electrooptic modulator designed and fabricated at F.I.T.. We have also started the design and testing of neural network architectures for processing the sensor signal outputs to calculate strain magnitude and actuator control signals for simple structures.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A Unified Kinetics and Equilibrium Experiment: Rate Law, Activation Energy, and Equilibrium Constant for the Dissociation of Ferroin

Tris(1,10-phenanthroline)iron(II) is the basis of a suite of four experiments spanning 5 weeks. Students determine the rate law, activation energy, and equilibrium constant for the dissociation of the complex ion in acid solution and base dissociation constant for phenanthroline. The focus on one chemical system simplifies a daunting set of second-semester general chemistry topics.
Complication, Survival, and Reoperation Rates Following Girdlestone Resection Arthroplasty.

Abstract Failed hip arthroplasty patients unsuitable for reimplantation may be offered Girdlestone resection arthroplasty (GRA). The purpose of this study was to detail complication and failure rates following GRA. Our results show that 66% (25/38), 34% (13/38), and 76% (29/38) of GRA patients experienced minor, major, and overall complications, respectively. Within 90 days of surgery, three patients required additional surgery and four died. Reoperation or death occurred an average of 26.3 (SD=3.5) and 55.6 (SD=76) months after surgery, respectively. Male gender and increasing comorbidity significantly predicted higher reoperation and mortality rates, P =0.01 and P =0.04, respectively. Complication and mortality rates following GRA are among the highest reported succeeding elective hip surgery for non-traumatic etiology.
Induction in vitro of proteins in the cultured tissue cells of Aedes aegypti.

Abstract Phenobarbital, DDT, and dieldrin, all known inducing agents, stimulated the activity of protein synthesis in vitro in the cultured cells derived from Aedes aegypti larvae. These induction processes did not appear to be closely related to the gross activity of both RNA and DNA synthesis. Also the increase in the activity of the protein synthesis caused by these agents apparently resulted in the increase in the protein contents of the individual cells, rather than the increase in the cell number per culture. The cultured cells treated with DDT and phenobarbital had higher levels of expoxidation activity of aldrin showing the typical characteristics of induced cells.
Chat reference communication patterns and implications: applying politeness theory

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine the use of formality indicators in chat reference interchanges within the context of politeness theory, with its corollaries of face‐threat and social relationship development.Design/methodology/approach – This discourse analysis identifies the syntactic and content indicators and patterns of formality levels in a purposive sample of 402 chat transcripts (covering 6,572 minutes) from one academic year at a large, US, public university.Findings – Syntactic formality markers include regular use of contractions, slang, sentence fragments, and non‐standard punctuation as well as limited use of acronyms and abbreviations with rare use of emoticons. Content‐based markers included apologies, self‐disclosure, and expressions of extreme need. Use patterns are related to the level of responsibility assumed by the librarian as well as the interview stages.Research limitations/implications – A limited data source and potential coder bias are the two limitations of thi...
Differential effects of centrally administered agouti-related peptide in male and female rats.

The central melanocortin system is critical for proper regulation of energy balance. The effects of the melanocortin receptor antagonist agouti-related peptide (AgRP) on food intake and body weight are well described in male rodents. We hypothesized that sex would determine the behavioral and metabolic responses to centrally administered AgRP. To achieve this, a single intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of either Saline or AgRP (5 μg/μl) was given to male and female (in diestrus) age-matched rats. Food and body weights were measured for 7 days. During the first 24 h rats were placed in an indirect calorimeter to assess energy expenditure. The orexigenic effect of AgRP lasted only 3 days in females compared to 5 days in males (p ( V O 2 ) while female rats lowered their V O 2 by 20% (p V O 2 compared to shams. Ovariectomized females showed extended food intake and decreased V O 2 similar to that of males. These data support the findings by Horvath et al. that estrogen increases melanocortin tone. These findings are consistent with our hypothesis and indicate that male and female rats employ different physiological mechanisms to attain identical increases in body weight gain in response to central AgRP.
Chemical and Dynamical Evolution of Galactic Discs

The relative roles of star formation and viscously-induced radial flows in galactic disks are discussed. It is shown that the present-day distributions of stars, gas, and metals in galactic spirals need not reflect initial conditions but may instead indicate a cooperation between star forming and viscous processes over the disk lifetime.
Alcohol Education for the College Campus

It has come to be generally accepted that alcohol use — sometimes excessive — is “de rigeur” on the college campus. Occasionally this acceptance has blossomed into concern — witness the flurry of activity by many states to raise the legal drinking age after having lowered it to 18 in the early 1970s. Attention has subsequently focused on the age group particularly affected, the 18 to 21‐year‐olds caught in the public and legislative tug‐of‐war over what should constitute the legal drinking age. The inherent implication is that the legal drinking age should be the age at which most individuals are “adult enough” (i.e., emotionally mature) to make responsible decisions about alcohol use. However, since the majority of alcoholics and problem drinkers are over 21 years of age, it would seem that age alone is not enough to deter irresponsible alcohol use. Consequently, a renewed effort at alcohol education has arisen, with particular focus on the college campus where large numbers of 18–21‐year‐olds are concentrated.
Parenting behaviors and preschool children's social and emotional skills: A question of the consequential validity of traditional parenting constructs for low-income African Americans

Abstract Few researchers have questioned the validity of traditional parenting dimensions (based largely on Baumrind's [Baumrind, D. (1967). Child care practices anteceding three patterns of preschool behavior. Genetic Psychology Monographs, 75, 43–88; Baumrind, D. (1971). Current patterns of parental authority. Developmental Psychology, 4, 1–103] work) with economically and ethnically diverse groups, despite the fact that evidence for the utility of these dimensions for predicting child and youth outcomes is equivocal. In this paper, we report on the findings from two independent studies by which we examined the relationship of traditional parenting constructs to children's social–emotional competencies among low-income, urban-residing African American preschool families with measures validated specifically for use with this population. In Study 1, 184 children and their families participated, whereas 210 children and their families participated in Study 2. Contrary to our hypotheses, across these two studies, findings failed to indicate significant relationships between constructs of parenting and children's social and emotional skills. Findings call into question the consequential validity of these constructs for this group and highlight inconsistencies among the larger body of parenting work. Implications for future theory-building and parenting research are discussed.
Scintillation and luminescence in transparent colorless single and polycrystalline bulk ceramic ZnS

Abstract ZnS:Ag is a well-known, extremely bright scintillator used in powder form for α-particle detection and, mixed with powdered LiF, for thermal neutron detection. Recently, we discovered some colorless and transparent commercial bulk single-crystal and polycrystalline (chemical vapor-deposited) ZnS forms that scintillate in response to α-particles. The scintillation light transmits through the sample thickness (millimeters), challenging the commonly held assumption that ZnS is opaque to its own scintillation light. Individual α-particle events were imaged in space and time using a charged-particle camera originally developed for medical imaging applications. Photoluminescence (PL) and PL excitation show that scintillating bulk ZnS likely depends on different electronic defects than commercial ZnS powder scintillators. These defects, associated with copper and oxygen, are discussed in relation to PL results and extensive literature assessment. Commercial transparent ZnS is routinely produced by chemical vapor deposition to sizes larger than square meters, enabling potentially novel radiation detection applications requiring large, thick apertures.
Calculating diffusion parameters for a corrosive medium acting on polymer materials

Data are used on the structure defects in polymer materials to consider the motion of a viscous liquid in a crack as the motion in a planar hydrodynamic flow from simulation of mathematical expressions for the diffusion parameters for the action of a corrosive medium on a polymer material: time spent in the corrosive medium and depth of the processed material layer. An expression is derived from which one can estimate the current concentration of the medium. It is established mathematically that the distribution of the medium concentration in the thickness of the material follows an exponential law.
RISK SHARING WITHIN THE UNITED STATES: WHAT DO FINANCIAL MARKETS AND FISCAL FEDERALISM ACCOMPLISH?

We measure income uncertainty at the level of U.S. states, and the extent to which it has been reduced through risksharing, using a method recently developed by Athanasoulis and van Wincoop (2000). Risk is measured as the standard deviation of state-specific income growth uncertainty, measured by using the error term of a regression of income growth on variables in the information set. Risk sharing is measured by the extent to which this standard deviation has been reduced through financial markets and federal fiscal policy. The advantage of this measure over the existing risk sharing literature is that the interpretation does not depend on many auxiliary assumptions. Our findings on the extent of risk sharing are insensitive to the only assumption we need to make, the variables that are in the information set. We find that the standard deviation of state-specific income growth uncertainty is reduced by less than half through financial markets and federal fiscal policy. We show that the extent of risk sha...
Transoral robotic biopsy of the tongue base: A novel paradigm in the evaluation of unknown primary tumors of the head and neck

Background Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck can present as a cervical metastasis from an unknown primary site. The standard diagnostic workup includes panendoscopy and directed biopsies but this will fail to identify a portion of unknown primary tumors. Methods Herein, we present a case report of a male patient with an unknown primary tumor in which the da Vinci surgical robot was used to evaluate the tongue base. Results Clinical evaluation, imaging, and panendoscopy with directed biopsies failed to detect the primary tumor site. Robot-assisted biopsy of a broad area of the tongue base, incorporating submucosal tissue, identified the primary tumor with minimal postoperative morbidity. Conclusion Failure to localize an unknown primary tumor often results in widespread irradiation of the upper aerodigestive tract, inducing significant morbidity. Robot-assisted biopsies of the tongue base may identify unknown primaries that would otherwise have been missed through standard directed biopsy techniques. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2013
“A Long Poem of Walking” Flâneurs, Vendors, and Chronicles of Post-abolition Rio de Janeiro

Chronicle literature in early twentieth-century Rio de Janeiro developed in tandem with the urban modernization that followed the abolition of slavery in 1888. Writers-flâneurs strolled city streets to observe human behavior in the new post-abolition urban environment. The street vendor, a fellow traveler within the city, was quickly identified by chroniclers as an integral component of the modern city. Ruling elites, however, viewed street commerce as a blot on the modern urban landscape and sought to prohibit vending through a series of policies that vendors often contested. Chroniclers and newspapers’ embrace of vendors therefore reveals the ambivalence that marked the effort to define modernity. Although connected to the city’s slave past, street vendors came to represent a modern urban membership unique to the Brazilian capital. The practice of street commerce and the intellectual culture surrounding it reflects how “walking the city” carved an alternative urban citizenship and sense of belonging.
An investigation of the Au/Ge(001) interface

Abstract Au was evaporatively deposited upon Ge(001)-2 × 1 surfaces, at or near room temperature. The resulting interfaces and Au(110) were investigated with angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES), low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Monochromatic synchrotron radiation (40 ⩽ hv ⩽ 150 eV) was used as the excitation source in the photoemission experiments to probe the valence bands and core levels (Au4f and Ge3d) as a function of coverage. The data will be compared with predictions stemming from different models of overlayer growth.
Regulation of vitellogenin synthesis and uptake in the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis

Abstract. Hormonal factors influencing reproductive development were examined in adult boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis (Boheman) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Long-day, high-temperature rearing conditions promote reproduction whereas short-day, low-temperature conditions do not. Implants of corpora allata (CA), brains, or brains plus retrocerebral complexes taken from long-day donors, or hormone analogue treatments were used to examine onset of vitellogenin synthesis and uptake in decapitated bodies of adult weevils reared in short-day, low-temperature conditions. Weevils decapitated within 2 days after eclosion and reared in short-day, low-temperature conditions never initiated vitellogenin production or ovarian development. Females and males decapitated on day 2 showed haemolymph vitellogenin within 5 days following treatment with Juvenile Hormone (JH) analogue or implantation of CA, but not after implantation of brain alone or implantation of muscle (sham). Uptake of vitellogenin into the oocytes did not occur unless both JH analogue and brain were given as replacement therapy. These experiments indicated that JH is necessary and sufficient to stimulate vitellogenin synthesis in this species but that a brain factor must be present for vitellogenin uptake.
Small Mechanical Strains Selectively Suppress Matrix Metalloproteinase-1 Expression by Human Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Mechanical forces and biochemical stimuli may interact to regulate cellular responses. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that very small mechanical strains interact with growth factors in the regulation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1. Human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were cultured on a precoated silicone membrane in a device that imposes a highly uniform biaxial strain. VSMCs cultured on fibronectin were treated with cyclic 1-Hz strains of 0, 1, or 4%, and MMPs were assayed by Western analysis or gelatin zymography. Small strains did not induce MMP-1 in VSMCs, but strain was a potent inhibitor of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)- or tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced synthesis of MMP-1. In contrast, MMP-2 and TIMP-2 levels were not changed by PDGF and/or mechanical strain. VSMCs strained on the 120-kDa chymotryptic fragment of fibronectin or RGD peptides suppressed PDGF-induced expression of MMP-1, indicating that this effect is not mediated by the heparin-binding domain or connecting segment-1 of fibronectin. Northern analysis of ets-1, a transcriptional activator of MMP-1 expression, showed that strain down-regulated ets-1 expression, whereas c-fos expression was augmented. Thus, small deformations can selectively suppress MMP-1 synthesis by VSMCs, demonstrating the exquisite sensitivity of the cell to mechanical stimuli.
Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Adolescents: A Critical Challenge to Counselors.

Meeting the health care needs of gay, lesbian, and bisexual teenagers has become a public health imperative, and mental health professionals should be prepared for the challenge. The stigma of homosexuality often gives rise to psychosocial problems for adolescents, who are in the process of sexual identity development. The stigma also may complicate delivery of appropriate, ethical, and sound mental health treatment. Suggestions are offered to support healthy development, to assist recovery from stigma, and to avert the disastrous consequences of suicide and AIDS.
Ribosomal RNA evolution by fragmentation of the 23S progenitor: Maturation pathway parallels evolutionary emergence

The eukaryotic 5.8S and the chloroplast 4.5S ribosomal RNAs were proposed to have arisen from the 5′ and 3′ ends respectively of prokaryotic 23S ribosomal RNA by the introduction of new processing sites during evolution. This hypothesis was supported by comparison of previously published primary sequences; in addition we can draw models of secondary structure in accord with this notion. Finally, we further noted that the sequence of processing cuts in the maturation pathway of ribosomal RNA reflects the probable order in which they arose during evolution.
The dark side of paclitaxel

The bark extract of Pacific Yew (Taxus brevifolia) was first reported to have anti-tumor activity in 1963. The active constituent responsible for this activity was later identified in 1971 as paclitaxel [1]. Paclitaxel is a cytotoxic drug used in the treatment of variety of tumors including ovarian, breast, and non-small-cell lung cancers...
Stacking and layer disordering of AlxGa1−xAs‐GaAs quantum well heterostructures

Data are presented showing that an Al x Ga1−x As‐GaAs quantum wellheterostructure (QWH) or superlattice(SL) can be selectively disordered into higher gap bulk crystal by impurity (Si) diffusion and then have grown epitaxially on it (‘‘stacked’’ on it) another SL (or QWH), which can be subjected to further impurity‐induced layer disordering in a patterned form. The resulting three‐dimensional array can be operated as a photopumped laser.
Endovascular retrieval of an embolized pacing electrode from a pulmonary artery following device extraction

Fragmented lead embolization is a rare but serious complication of lead extraction. The most common site for distal …
Evaluating an early software engineering course with projects and tools from open source software

We developed a software engineering course that emphasizes code maintenance and evolution by having students reverse engineer and modify open-source projects. To evaluate whether this course had the desired effects on student learning, we analyze pre- and post-course survey data using qualitative methods. This analysis, in combination with other data, suggests that the students gained an appreciation and understanding of software maintenance, documentation, and tool use.
“Such a sister became such a brother”: Lady Ranelagh's influence on Robert Boyle

Katherine Jones, Lady Ranelagh (1615–91), Robert Boyle's older sister with whom he lived for the last 23 years of his life, has lurked in the shadows of the historical record since their deaths in ...