cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Underutilization of therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma in the medicare population

BACKGROUND: The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing in the United States, and the care of these patients remains highly specialized and complex. Multiple treatment options are available for HCC but their use and effectiveness remain unknown. METHODS: Using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked data, 8730 patients who were diagnosed with HCC between 1991 and 2005 were identified. Therapy included surgical resection (8.7%), liver transplantation (1.4%), ablation (3.6%), or transarterial chemoembolization (16%). Patients who received no or palliative-only treatment were grouped together (NoTx; 70.3%). Patient, disease, and tumor factors were examined as determinants of therapy. RESULTS: HCC is increasing in the Medicare population. The median age at diagnosis was 75.1 years and 73.6% of patients were coded as white, 17.2% as Asian, 8.3% as black, and 0.9% as other race. The rate of therapy increased over time, but only 29.7% of patients overall underwent therapy. In patients with early stage HCC, only 43.1% underwent therapy. In the NoTx group, 49.4% did not have cirrhosis, 36.0% had tumors that measured <5 cm, and 39.8% were diagnosed with stage I or II disease when variables were complete. The use of therapy for all HCC patients increased over time, correlating with a commensurate increase in median survival. In multivariate regression analysis, patients who received any modality of treatment achieved significant benefit compared with the NoTx group (odds ratio, 0.41; 95% confidence interval, 0.39-0.43). CONCLUSIONS: In the Medicare population, HCC patients who received therapy experienced a substantial survival advantage over their nonoperative peers (NoTx). Despite evidence that many patients had favorable biological characteristics, <30% of patients diagnosed with HCC received any treatment. Cancer 2011. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
SPECIAL FEATURE:TUTORIAL Slow Heating Methods in Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Several approaches to ion activation in tandem mass spectrometry have been developed in recent years for use in ion trapping instruments that allow for conditions to be reached wherein rates of ion activation and deactivation are comparable. These approaches are defined as slow heating methods and include continuous-wave laser infrared multiphoton dissociation, dissociation driven by blackbody radiation, quadrupole ion trap collisional activation and sustained off-resonance irradiation in ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. In the limiting case in which ion activation and deactivation rates are equal, a steady-state parent ion internal energy distribution is achieved and the kinetics of dissociation can be interpreted in analogy with thermal dissociation. This discussion describes the thermal analogy and the limiting conditions of rapid energy exchange and slow energy exchange along with the possible ramifications for dissociation rates and product ion spectra. The figures of merit that the various slow heating methods share as a class of activation methods are also discussed. The purpose of this perspective is to provide a frame-of-reference from which slow heating methods can be considered. Such methods are seeing increasing use as the number of ion trapping instruments grows and have shown remarkable success with dissociation of high-mass ions. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Transthoracic Vertebral Surgery

Abstract Fifteen paraplegic patients are presented who were operated upon using a transthoracic anterior approach to the spinal cord. Compression was secondary to osteomyelitis, neoplasm, and trauma. The spinal cord was decompressed by complete removal of the destroyed vertebral bone and other tissue or evacuation of pus or both. The bony defect was bridged with struts of resected rib. Except for the 2 patients with irreversible traumatic paraplegia, all the patients had some neurological improvement and 7 of 12 had a complete or marked early neurological recovery. These 7 included 4 of the 10 patients with osteomyelitis and all 3 patients with neoplastic compression. Five additional patients with osteomyelitis had partial neurological recovery, and the remaining patient regained sphincter control. Early solid bone fusion and rehabilitation were achieved in the patients with fracture.
Dynamic scattering from bimodal polymer solutions. 1. Apparent diffusion coefficient

Relation entre le coefficient de diffusion apparent et la concentration des deux composants: comparaison des resultats avec ceux obtenus pour le polystyrene dans le cyclohexane au point theta
The overlooked, retained double J stent

A series of 4 patients with long overlooked, retained ureteral stents is presented to illustrate the variable, unpredictable, and at times, hazardous course of such patients. These cases are cited to re-emphasize the need for careful documentation, observation, and follow-up of patients in whom stents are placed.
Resistance and susceptibility to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) in the tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum, demonstrated by histological differences in the development of stem tissue

Seedlings of two tomato varieties, one susceptible and the other resistant to TMV, were inoculated at the first true leaf stage with a mixed inoculum of TMV and PVX. PVX was added to induce an active and uniform reaction. The seedlings were then grown in flats in the greenhouse, and plants were harvested each day following the initial inoculation for a period of eighteen days. The stems of these plants were fixed, embedded in paraffin, sectioned and stained. Examination of the different cross sections revealed distortions in the development of the vascular system of the susceptible variety.
Role of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor in drug metabolism.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor that regulates the transcription of certain key enzymes involved in the metabolism of xenobiotic substances including some drugs. The AhR can be activated by a wide range of classes of compounds (e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, benzimidazoles and flavonoids), and interacts with a number of other proteins, including nuclear hormone receptors such as the oestrogen and androgen receptors. Activation of the AhR antagonises the oestrogen receptor and can lead to modulation of its transcriptional activity; thus, activating the AhR may serve as a target for breast cancer therapy. Disruption of normal signalling by drug interactions with the AhR or downstream components of this pathway could result in adverse effects, such as the bioactivation of procarcinogens or the disruption of normal homeostasis. The cytochrome P450s CYP1A1, -1B1, -1A2 and -2S1 are regulated by the AhR, and they are all involved in the metabolism of endogen...
Predicting nonlinear viscosity and elasticity from zero‐shear parameters in the Pao‐Rouse model

When the Rouse distribution of relaxation times is inserted into Pao's constitutive equation as expressed by Huseby and Blyler, a simple two-parameter model results. The parameters can be fitted using the limiting values of viscosity and modulus at low shear rates. The modulus in this case is defined as the ratio of shear stress during steady flow to the recovered shear during creep recovery with the stress removed. The mathematical model, is then used to predict the behavior at high shear rates where flow is pseudoplastic and elasticity is non-Hookean. A sample of polyisobutylene and several high molecular weight poly(dimethylsiloxanes) can be fitted reasonably well. Silicones of lower molecular weight (3.7 and 5.5 × 105) are not correlated successfully, perhaps because not all the “recoverable shear” stored during flow can actually be recovered experimentally. The Rouse distribution can be generalized for added flexibility.
Light exposure and macular pigment optical density.

PURPOSE Biochemical research has demonstrated that lutein and zeaxanthin, the two macular carotenoids, are bleachable pigments. Further, evidence suggests that exposure to UV light can degrade plasma carotenoid levels in vivo. The present study investigated the effects of exposure to normal levels of light on the levels of lutein and zeaxanthin in the retina. METHODS The optical density of macular pigment (MPOD) was measured in two male subjects under four different light-adaptation conditions for 20 days. Heterochromatic flicker photometry was used to measure MPOD at 0.5 degrees eccentricity. RESULTS The four conditions of light adaptation did not significantly affect MPOD. As in previous studies, however, a significant day-to-day difference was observed for both subjects. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that lutein and zeaxanthin levels in the eye are unaffected by light and oxidation throughout the day. This justifies current research methods in which MPOD measures are made regardless of the time of day. However, significant between-day variance indicates that multiple MPOD measures may be necessary to evaluate lutein and zeaxanthin levels in the retina accurately.
SU-FF-T-341: New BEAMnrc Tools for Photon and Electron Beam Model Analysis

Purpose: Accurate radiotherapy planning requires precise and adaptable beam models. A beam model must be able to reproduce the full range of output on a clinical accelerator if a 2%/2mm or better accuracy goal is to be met. Most beam models have not been able to consistently meet this goal. While beam models can be based largely on measurements, Monte Carlo calculations can also be useful for determining the needed parameters and the breadth of flexibility required. In particular, Monte Carlo calculations are critical for exploring the impact of asymmetries in the accelerator geometry. As part of an effort to develop flexible beam models meeting a 2%/2mm accuracy goal, we have developed new tools for use with BEAMnrc. Method and Materials: A version of beamnrc.mortran incorporating a lateral shift for each component module has been designed, allowing the impact of laterally offsetting electron beam and accelerator elements to be evaluated. The point source model has also been modified to permit a non‐normal beam angle to allow a sensitivity analysis to include an angular distribution at the focal spot with a tilted beam. In addition, we have developed a new component module RECT which includes a simple rectilinear phantom as part of BEAMnrc, removing the necessity of using DOSXYZnrc for simple geometries. Results: By bypassing the need for a phase space file, RECT can facilitate high‐statistic runs for large field configurations by eliminating restrictions on disk space. RECT can also take advantage of the homogeneity in a water phantom by allowing photon step sizes beyond individual voxel boundaries, speeding up the simulation. Conclusion: The inclusion of lateral offsets in Monte Carlo beam models has been demonstrated to reproduce asymmetries of several percent in large electron fields, and is being used to study the 1–2% asymmetries found in clinical photon fields.
RADIATIVE ASSOCIATION OF NO+ WITH 3-PENTANONE : RATE, BINDING ENERGY, AND TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE

Measurements were made of the radiative association kinetics of NO+ with 3-pentanone as a function of temperature from 300 to 400 K, using the Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance ion-trapping mass spectrometer. Both the absolute association rate and the temperature dependence were compared with the predictions of two levels of theory, a simple RRKM-based approach previously applied to several systems, and a new, detailed variational transition state theory (VTST) approach incorporating ab initio calculations of vibrational frequencies and IR emission intensities. The analysis by the VTST approach was considered reliable and successful enough to justify averaging with a previous thermochemical determination to give a revised binding energy for the complex of 41.6 ± 2 kcal mol-1 (1.80 ± 0.1 eV). The VTST approach also gave excellent agreement with the observed temperature dependence. The RRKM estimate of the rate was in satisfactory agreement with observation, but the slope of the temperature dependen...
Long-Range Predictive and Differential Validities of the Scholastic Aptitude Test in Medical School

With regard to the recent controversy about the predictive validity of the College Board Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), the present study was designed to investigate the long-range predictive and differential validities of this measure. Data for 1284 students who entered the Jefferson Medical College from 1965 through 1974 were analyzed by dividing them into four quarter groups from high to low based upon their scores on the Verbal and Mathematics portions of the SAT. By applying analysis of variance, statistically significant differences were found among high scorers (examinees in the top quarter) and low scorers (examinees in the bottom quarter) of the SAT relative to the yearly grade point averages (GPAs) and average standing on comprehensive examinations in medical school in the favor of high SAT scorers. The convergent and divergent validities of the SAT over an extended range of time were supported.
Responsiveness to bradykinin in veins of hypercholesterolemic humans.

BACKGROUND Hypercholesterolemia impairs endothelium-dependent dilation in arteries. We tested the hypothesis that hypercholesterolemia impairs endothelium-dependent vasodilation by an interaction between elevated plasma lipoproteins and a presumably normal endothelium using human veins in vivo; veins do not generally develop atherosclerosis and are appropriate for testing functional alterations. METHODS AND RESULTS Full dose-response curves were constructed in 13 hypercholesterolemic and 12 normocholesterolemic subjects by infusing bradykinin (0.25 to 508 ng/min) into hand veins preconstricted with the alpha-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine. The maximal relaxation induced by bradykinin was 80 +/- 38% in the controls and 103 +/- 40% in subjects with hypercholesterolemia (P = .08). Responsiveness to bradykinin was also determined after infusion of indomethacin (5.4 micrograms/min), a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, to block the contribution of prostaglandins; maximal responsiveness was greater in hypercholesterolemic subjects (112 +/- 41%) than in controls (81 +/- 31%) (P = .03). Hypercholesterolemic subjects were more sensitive to bradykinin, with an ED50 of 4.2 ng/min versus 10.9 ng/min in controls (P = .05); a similarly increased sensitivity was found in the presence of indomethacin. The response to a maximally effective dose of nitroglycerin was greater in hypercholesterolemic subjects (142 +/- 31%) versus 106 +/- 28% in controls (P = .007). In five hypercholesterolemic subjects, treated with lovastatin to normalize serum cholesterol concentrations, maximal responsiveness to bradykinin decreased from 103 +/- 52% to 80 +/- 28%. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate that hypercholesterolemia in humans does not impair endothelium-derived relaxing factor-mediated venodilation.
Interferometry, streak photography, and stereo photography of laser-driven miniature flying plates

Optical diagnostics to evaluate the velocity, acceleration profiles, planarity, and integrity of miniature (≤5 μm thick x ≤600 μm diam) plates of aluminum and other metals will be reported. By correlating various optical techniques and collected data, a complete understanding of the flying plate can be determined. Velocity interferometer system for any reflector (VISAR), with ≤120 ps resolution per data point, is used to record plate acceleration and terminal velocity. Electronic-streak and pulsed-laser stereo photography can determine planarity and integrity. Flyer-plate performance data are related to the properties of the laser beam that accelerates the plate. Laser parameters, such as energy density, power density, and spatial profile, affect the flying-plate performance parameters, i.e., planarity, acceleration, and velocity. Flying-plate accelerations of ≥10 10 G and terminal velocities of ≥6 mm/μs have been recorded, via a 10-ns-Nd:YAG laser pulse delivered to a tamped, 5-μm-aluminum plate.
Estimation of acoustic attentuation in liver using one megabyte of data and the zero-crossings technique☆

Statistical fluctuations due to scatter-induced frequency variations in reflected acoustic pulses are a major problem when estimating acoustic attenuation. Disagreement exists in the ultrasound community as to how much data is sufficient to overcome these statistical fluctuations. The range of attenuation values for normal livers and a tissue equivalent phantom, using 1 megabyte of data per liver and the zero-crossings technique, was investigated. The significance of statistical fluctuations and their effects on attenuation are discussed.
Quantitative analysis of heterogenous NADH fluorescence in perfused rat hearts during hypoxia and ischemia

Abstract Photographic negatives obtained by ultraviolet flash photography of perfused rat hearts have been analysed by computer-aided densitometry. Heterogeneous patterns of NADH fluoresence were obtained either by diminishing oxygen availability to the perfused heart with maintained coronary flow (hypoxia) or by ligitation of a coronary artery (regional ischemia). Digital printed images of selected areas of the heart surface (2.5 × 3.6 mm) were produced using a 6-level grey scale and further subsets chosen for histogram display of frequency versus intensity or point line scans. The data show that the NADH fluorescence level in the central region of a hypoxic area is the same as that in a fully anoxic heart, while remaining aerobic areas in a hypoxic heart remain fully aerobic. Similar conclusions apply to ischemic hearts. A border zone where the NADH fluorescence level is intermediate between fully aerobic and fully anoxic can be readily visualized and quantitated in both hypoxic and ischemic hearts. The width of the border zone (about 0.5 mm) is the same for the epicardium and endocardium. The present technique cannot distinguish between the possibilities (a) that the border zone contains mixtures of aerobic and anoxic cells, or (b) that the cells are hypoxic with functioning but O2-limited electron transport. In either case, it is evident that the border zone, although relatively small, contains many cells that are less likely to become irreversibly damaged than cells in fully anoxic regions.
152. The useful of US in diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome in diabetics: A proposal for new reference values

Increased median nerve Cross-section Area (CSA) is considered suggestive for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). Increased peripheral nerves CSA was observed in diabetic polyneuropathy (DP). Our aim was to assess median nerve CSA cut-off values for the diagnosis of CTS in diabetic patients, with or without polyneuropathy. We enrolled consecutive diabetic patients with or without CTS symptoms who reached the hospital Diabetology Clinic in November 2012. Patients underwent median nerve EMG of the symptomatic or the dominant hand for diagnosis of CTS and ultrasonographic measure of CSA at the tunnel inlet. Tibial, peroneal and sural nerve EMG was performed to diagnose DP. Using ROC curves we determined the optimal cut-off values for ultrasonographic CSA in all patients and in subgroups with or without DP. 39 patients (mean age 64 yo, mean disease duration 18,6 y) were enrolled. Mean values of nerve CSA in the cohort and in patients with and without DP were respectively 11,23 mm2, 12,4 mm2 and 10,5. CSA best values for sensitivity and specificity were determined: in total cohort 11,5 mm2 (61,5%, 85%; AUC 0,796), in patients with DP 12 mm2 (69%, 100%; AUC 0,846), 10,5 mm2 in patients without DP (61%, 64%; AUC 0,734). We propose reference values for ultrasonographic diagnosis of CTS in diabetics: for patients with diagnosed or uncertain DP cut-off values of the general population should be raised.
Quantitative gait analysis in essential tremor reveals impairments that are maintained into advanced age

Background: Essential tremor (ET) patients seem to have impaired gait and balance, yet surprisingly few studies have utilized quantitative analysis to study these impairments. With one exception, these prior studies examined gait on a treadmill, which does not approximate functional environmental conditions (level ground). Moreover, these studies tested middle-aged subjects so it remains unclear whether ET patients maintain a pattern of deficits that is in excess of that seen in controls, even into advanced ages. Methods: 104 ET subjects (86.0 4.6, range = 75–97 years) and 40 similarly aged controls (84.1 4.2, range = 74–94 years) underwent gait testing using the GAITRite 1 mat under standard walk and tandem walk conditions on level ground. Results: In standard walk, ET patients demonstrated deficits related to gait speed (lower velocity and cadence, p = 0.0001), dynamic imbalance (increased double support percent, p = 0.01), and gait asymmetry (increased step time difference, p = 0.003). During tandem walk, ET patients had lower velocity (p = 0.002) and cadence (p = 0.003), and more mis-steps (p < 0.008) compared with controls. For all variables, ET patients performed more poorly than controls even into advanced ages, as demonstrated in linear regression models. Conclusions: ET patients demonstrated decrement in gait speed, dynamic balance and gait symmetry during standard walk and clear balance impairment during tandem walk. This constellation of impairments is consistent with a cerebellar deficit. ET patients maintained this pattern of deficits, in excess of that seen in controls, into advanced age, reinforcing the importance of gait and balance impairment in this disorder.
Further Calculations of the Flutter Speed of a Fully Submerged Subcavitating Hydrofoil

Abstract : Some new calculations of the flutter speed of the fully submerged subcavitating hydrofoil model are presented. Variations in lift curve slope and in center of pressure location are found to have a most profound influence on both flutter speed and frequency. When variations in these parameters are combined with a relaxation of the Kutta condition (proposed previously), excellent agreement with the measured flutter speed is obtained.
The Appropriations Hearings Delivering Our Message

The recent congressional appropriations hearings on the fiscal year 1996 budget for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provided a good opportunity to reflect on the status of biomedical research in general and the goals and achievements of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) in particular. Facing appropriations subcommittees with many new members, new leadership, and an ambitious agenda for the American people, how could we best convey the importance and promise of the work that we do? We have gained so much mastery over cardiovascular, lung, and blood diseases that their significance and urgency sometimes get lost in the face of other threats to the public health. Indeed, the first question asked of me by the House Appropriations Subcommittee was: Is your institute a victim of its own success? Of course, we take much pleasure in enumerating the successes of our programs; certainly, they have been unprecedented in the history of chronic disease. Consider the …
Diversity and ecology of the macro-invertebrate fauna (Nemata and Arthropoda) of Kartchner Caverns, Cochise County, Arizona, United States of America

A two-year study of the diversity and ecology of the macro-invertebrate fauna (Nemata and Arthropoda) of Kartchner Caverns, near Benson, Arizona, USA, was conducted between September 2009 and September 2011. The study expands on the baseline study conducted twenty years earlier, from 1989-1991, which was one of several resource analyses conducted prior to development of Kartchner Caverns as an Arizona State Park. The recent study makes a significant contribution to the understanding of the invertebrate fauna and ecology of Kartchner Caverns and cave macro-invertebrates in the desert region of the southwestern United States and Northern Mexico. The initial study identified 39 macro-invertebrate species associated with the ecology of the cave. The recent study increased this number to 98 species, including 16 species new to science, seven of which are troglobites. Kartchner Caverns is now known to support the most species-rich macro-invertebrate ecology of any cave in Arizona.
Detection of apple deterioration using an electronic nose and znose

Damage in apples can cause fruit spoilage, reduce commodity economic value, and give rise to food quality and safety concerns. This research investigated use of electronic nose (Enose, Cyranose 320) and zNoseTM -based nondestructive protocols for rapid detection of deterioration in apples. Key compounds associated with apple aroma were identified using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, and the differences were observed after 6 days exposure to artificially induced damage in the form of a cut. High-dimensional data were compressed by principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS). Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and canonical variate analysis (CVA) models were developed based on the compressed data. Experiments showed that both the Enose and zNose were able to effectively detect the volatile differences between undamaged and damaged apples four or more days after the cut. Differences in number of cuts had some effect on volatile compound emissions. Apples subjected to two cuts and three cuts generated volatile profiles that were significantly different from uncut apples. Varying the orientation of cut apples did not give significant differences in the volatile profile. The PLS-LDA model produced the best correct classification rates: 96% using the zNose, and 85% using the Enose.
State point dependence of systematically coarse–grained potentials

We apply systematic structural coarse–graining based on optimizing a potential against the structure obtained in atomistic simulations to the small organic glass former ortho-terphenyl (OTP). Atomistic radial distributions at various temperatures ranging from below the glass transition temperature to the equilibrium liquid show hardly any change with temperature. These pair distribution functions are used as targets to be reproduced by a mesoscale model of OTP which is formulated by replacing each benzene ring with a single interaction center. The potentials are obtained by Iterative Boltzmann Inversion of the distribution functions. The resulting potential depends not only on the structure but also implicitly on the temperature at which it was optimized. Potentials optimized in the liquid range lead to crystalline structures if used below the glass transition requiring independent optimizations in the glass. We compare potentials optimized in both ranges to study the system over the whole temperature ran...
Genetic control of cell interactions in chimeras

The manufacture of mammalian chimeras by aggregating embryos of different genetic constitutions makes possible the study of the genetic control of cellular interactions during embryonic development. Several different chimeric combinations have been made to study the role of the sex-reversed mutation in gonadogenesis and in gametogenesis. Sex reversed directs the gonad to become a testis and thus renders a SxrXX mouse sterile since gonocytes with two X chromosomes cannot complete gametogenesis in a testis. However, SxrXX gonocytes in the ovary of a female chimera become normal oocytes. The competitive interactions of genetically different melanoblasts in populating hair follicles and of primordial germ cells in populating the gonad have been revealed in chimeras. Chimeras have also been used to rescue inviable teraploid embryos and to permit teteraploid cells to display their differentiative capacities in normal tissue environments. We conclude that the genotype affects the capacity of cells to elaborate and to respond to inductive stimuli at each step in differentiation. The fine tuning of cellular interactions becomes apparent in chimeras made from embryos of different genotype.
Enhancement of Small Telescope Images Using Super-Resolution Techniques

We present the results of our study into the feasibility of using super-resolution techniques to enhance the quality of images obtainable with small telescopes. With super-resolution, one acquires a series of images of a moving object such that the object of interest is only slightly displaced in each image. One then uses statistical methods to combine these separate images to produce a subpixel interpolation of the original image. The methodology been successfully demonstrated in several application areas and can theoretically double (or more than double) the image spatial resolution. Our interest is whether or not the wander resulting from atmospheric turbulence creates sufficient displacement for the super-resolution algorithm.
The role of risk perception and technical information in scientific debates over nuclear waste storage

Abstract This article examines how members of the lay public factor risk perceptions, trust and technical information from differing scientific sources into policy judgements about potentially hazardous facilities. Focusing on radwaste storage repositories, we examine how members of the public filter new information about potential hazards through risk perceptions, and adjust their own beliefs about risks in light of that information. Scientists play a large (and increasing) role in public policy debates concerning nuclear waste issues, in which public perceptions of human health and environmental risks often differ substantially from scientific consensus about those risks. Public concerns and uncertainties are compounded when scientists from competing groups (government agencies, scientific institutions, industries, and interest groups) make different claims about the likely health and environmental consequences of different policy options. We show the processes by which the public receive and process scientific information about nuclear waste management risks using data taken from interviews with 1800 randomly selected individuals (1200 in New Mexico, and 600 nationwide). Among the more important findings are: (1) members of the public are able to make quite reasonable estimates about what kinds of positions on the risks of nuclear waste disposal will be taken by scientists from differing organizations (e.g. scientists from environmental groups, government agencies, or the nuclear industry); (2) in assessing the credibility of scientific claims, members of the public place great emphasis on the independence of the scientists from those who fund the research; and (3) prior expectations about the positions (or expected biases) of scientists from different organizations substantially affects the ways in which members of the public weigh (and utilize) information that comes from these scientists.
Network Elucidation Template: A framework for human-guided network inference

Network elucidation is the problem of inferring all parameters of a network from a subset of those parameters. We introduce the Network Elucidation Template (NET), which provides a framework upon which algorithms for such problems can be built. NET algorithms take advantage of novel methods for collaboration between human operators and computers. They use visualizations of the peculiar structures that appear in optimal solutions to aid the parameter search. By design, NET is at a high enough level of abstraction to describe a class of algorithms, as opposed to a single algorithm. Given a problem, and the structure of that problem, an effective instantiation of the template into an algorithm can be created. We describe one such instantiation: using a network flow framework to implement a NET algorithm for uncovering smuggling networks; as well as the general template.
A reappraisal of sterol biosynthesis and metabolism in aphids

Aphids of Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) (biotype C) reared on its host-plant, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, sequestered campesterol, stigmasterol and sitosterol. Aphids reared for 72 hr on holidic diets supplemented with [4-14C]-sitosterol contained both [14C]-sitosterol and [14C]-cholesterol, indicating that these aphids are capable of dealkylation at C-24. When aphids were reared on artificial diets containing [2-14C]-mevalonic acid, no detectable amounts of radioactively labelled desmethyl sterols, nor metabolic intermediates in sterol synthesis (i.e. squalene, 2,3-oxidosqualene, 4,4-dimethyl and 4-monomethyl sterols) were found to accumulate in their tissues. The relevance of these findings to previous research suggesting the ability of aphids, via their symbiotes, to synthesize sterols is discussed.
Intrathymic alloantigen-mediated, tolerant, completely major histocompatibility complex-mismatched mouse hearts are specifically rejected by adoptively transferred anti-class I Ld+-specific 2C cells

Abstract Background: Tolerance to cardiac allografts can be induced in mice and rats by the injection of donor alloantigen into the thymus in combination with a CD4 T-cell–depleting antibody. CD8+ cells in these animals are hyporesponsive to graft-specific alloantigens. Most of the CD8+ T cells in the transgenic 2C mouse express a T-cell receptor specific for the class I major histocompatibility complex Ld+ locus. This study was designed to determine whether the adoptive transfer of these 2C T cells could precipitate rejection of a tolerant, completely major histocompatibility complex–mismatched Ld+ or Ld– heart. Methods: C57BL/6 mice (Ld–) were given 10 × 106 cells of BALB/c (Ld+) or dm2 (BALB/c background lacking Ld [Ld–]) splenocytes intrathymically and GK1.5 (10 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. Twenty-one days later, BALB/c or dm2 hearts were transplanted. On the day of transplantation or after long-term allograft acceptance, recipients received naive 2C cells or 2C cells sensitized by in vitro mixed lymphocyte culture with BALB/c (Ld+). Results: Mean survival time of BALB/c cardiac allografts in untreated C57BL/6 mice was 7.3 days, although 73% of the mice that were pretreated with BALB/c splenocytes IT plus GK1.5 accepted the donor antigen-specific heart allografts indefinitely. All recipients that were pretreated with the intrathymic plus GK1.5 and that were injected with naive 2C cells at the time of heart transplantation experienced rejection of the BALB/c (Ld+), but not the dm2 (Ld–) hearts. In contrast, naive 2C cells could not reject tolerant (>30 days acceptance) BALB/c (Ld+) hearts. 2C cells sensitized in vitro against Ld were able to reject established BALB/c hearts but could not reject the Ld– dm2 hearts. Conclusions: Ld-specific 2C T-cell receptor transgenic T cells that are adoptively transferred to recipients will precipitate the rejection of accepted hearts that express class I Ld+ in mice rendered tolerant by an intrathymic injection of alloantigen plus anti-CD4 monoclonal antibodies. (Surgery 2000;128:206-212.)
The Warholian moment and other proto-indicators of scholarly salience

This article discusses shifting norms and practices in scholarly communication and evaluation. It considers how traditional indicators of scholarly impact might be augmented by web-based measures of salience and esteem.
Estrogen plus androgen induced mounting in adult female hamsters.

This study demonstrated that the combined administration of estrogens and androgens activates the display of mounting by female hamsters. Forty-nine ovariectomized hamsters were injected daily with either estradiol benzoate (EB, N = 8); dihydrotestosterone propionate (DHTP, N = 7); testosterone propionate (TP, N = 6); androstenedione (AD, N = 9); EB plus DHTP (N = 10); or estrone plus DHTP (E1 + DHTP, N = 9). All androgens were administered at a dose of 1 mg per day for the first 24 days and at a dose of 2 mg per day for the last 14 days. The EB dose was 6 μg per day and the E1 dose was 100 μg per day. Females were tested for male behavior once a week starting on Day 10 of injections and for female behavior on Day 39. One hundred percent of EB + DHTP treated females; 67% of the E1 + DHTP treated females; 55% of the AD treated females; 33% of the TP treated females; 29% of the DHTP treated females; and none of the EB treated females mounted during at least one test. Only one of the E1 + DHTP treated females showed the intromission pattern; otherwise most females which mounted displayed the intromission pattern. The median number of days preceding the onset of mounting ranged from 21 to 31 days and did not differ among treatment groups.
HEPATIC PHOSPHOENOL PYRUVATE CARBOXYKINASE (PEPCK) DEFICIENCY - A NEW CAUSE OF HYPOGLYCEMIA IN CHILDHOOD

A 9-month Mexican-American female has been followed for episodic hypoglycemia first documented in the immediate postnatal period. Three convulsions occurred with glucose levels (BS) 20 mg%. Physical exam has been normal to date. A 4 hr. fast resulted in hypoglycemia (30 mg%) and mild lacticacidemia. Basal and stimulated plasma growth hormone, glucagon and cortisol were normal. IV GTT normal; (K =1.6). Glucagon increased BS two-fold. Plasma insulin was < 5 μU/ml during hypoglycemia. IV substrate infusion results were: Fasting alanine levels also were increased. A liver biopsy, at 5 1/2 months, showed reduced levels of pyruvate carboxylase and markedly low or undetectable levels of PEPCK. All other gluconeogenic and glycogenolytic enzymes were normal. The data are compatible with an inborn error in gluconeogenesis at the level of PEPCK. The pyruvate carboxylase reduction is likely a secondary effect. This child represents the first documented case of PEPCK deficiency.
Tacitus on the ancient amber-gatherers: A re-evaluation of Germania

(1985). Tacitus on the ancient amber-gatherers: A re-evaluation of Germania. Journal of Baltic Studies: Vol. 16, Studies in Baltic Amber, pp. 302-315.
Ultrasonographic identification of anatomic structures relevant to lumbar puncture

Study objectives: Ultrasonography has been successfully used to identify anatomic landmarks in the administration of epidural anesthesia. It is unknown whether emergency physicians can apply a similar technique to obtain ultrasonographic images useful in lumbar puncture. We determine the ability of emergency physicians to apply a standardized ultrasonographic technique for visualizing the dural space and anatomic landmarks in the lumbar region. Methods: This prospective, observational, institutional review board–approved pilot investigation was conducted in the emergency department (ED) of an academic tertiary care institution. Two emergency physicians, without specialized ultrasonographic training, used a 7.5-MHz linear array and a 3.5-MHz curved array ultrasonographic probe to identify anatomic structures surrounding the dural space in a midline and paramedian approach in a convenience sample of ED patients. Times to visualization of the spinous processes, laminae, ligamentum flavum, epidural space, and dural space were recorded on standardized data collection forms. Patient body mass index (BMI) and emergency physician perception of the degree of difficulty palpating anatomic landmarks were recorded for each subject. Results: Emergency physicians successfully obtained 54 of 60 attempted ultrasonographic images in 10 patients. Mean patient BMI was 30.3 kg/m 2 (SD 11.0, range 22.7 to 58.6 kg/m 2 ; median BMI 26.15 kg/m 2 ). High-quality ultrasonographic images were obtained in less than 1 minute in 49 (90.7%) scans and in less than 5 minutes in 54 (100%) scans. Mean time to acquire acceptable ultrasonographic images was 1.14 minutes (SD 1.62 minutes, range 10 seconds to 5 minutes). Conclusion: In this pilot project, emergency physicians were able to apply a standardized ultrasonographic technique to rapidly obtain high-quality images of anatomic structures useful in lumbar puncture. Additional research is necessary to determine the utility of ultrasonography in ED lumbar puncture.
Twelve novel microsatellite markers for the marbled salamander, Ambystoma opacum

We isolated and characterized a total of 12 microsatellite loci from the marbled salamander, Ambystoma opacum. Loci were screened in 24 individuals from a single location on the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 3 to 15, observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.167 to 0.917, and the probability of identity values ranged from 8.5 × 10−2 to 3.2 × 10−1. These new loci will provide tools for examining the genetic diversity, structure, and mating system of A. opacum populations.
Rat tyrosine hydroxylase promoter directs tetracycline-inducible foreign gene expression in dopaminergic cell types

Abstract A prerequisite for creating animal models in which gene expression is spatially and temporally controlled is the development of promoters to target genetic switches to specific populations of cells. Here we used the dopaminergic biosynthetic enzyme, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) to test various combinations of tetracycline (Tet) system elements to determine the optimal configuration for inducible, tissue-specific expression. The present study shows that the degree of expression and level of leakiness associated with the Tet transactivators rtTA, rtTA2S-M2, tTS/rtTA or tTS/rtTA2S-M2 was dependent upon both the promoter and cell type utilized. Specifically, CMV-driven tTS/rtTA2S-M2 exhibited the highest level of inducibility in HEK cells (∼1000-fold) versus the dopaminergic cell line, MN9D (∼70-fold). In contrast, TH-driven rtTA2S-M2 yielded the highest level of expression with the least background in dopaminergic cell types versus HEK cells. Moreover, the TH promoter could be combined with the bi-directional Tet response system, BiTetO, allowing for the co-expression and regulation of two genes in the same cell. To further test the feasibility of this system we replaced the reporter gene with human Bcl-2. Consistent with previous studies, induction of Bcl-2 expression in dopaminergic cell types attenuated cell death due to the neurotoxin, MPP+. Taken together, these data suggest that targeted, inducible gene expression can be achieved in dopaminergic cell types.
Influence of mixing on the performance of periodic chemical reactors

The interaction between imperfect mixing and cyclic operation is examined for several continuous polymerizations in stirred-tank reactors. The reactor is represented by a mixed model involving two interconnected ideal stirred vessels. Cyclic fluctuations in the concentration of a chain transfer agent during Ziegler-catalyzed olefin polymerization can yield molecular weight distributions significantly different from those of a conventional steady state reactor. This result is consistent with the available experimental data. It is especially interesting that the cyclic reactor effluent with a modified molecular weight distribution is of approximately time-invariant composition when the period of cycling is on the order of the reactor holding time. Imperfect mixing has a lesser effect on cycled reactors for free-radical and polycondensation polymerization than it has on cycled olefin polymerization reactors.
Measurement and treatment of agitation following traumatic brain injury: II. a survey of the brain injury special interest group of the american academy of physical medicine and rehabilitation

Abstract Objective: Determine national patterns of measuring and treating agitation after traumatic brain injury (TBI) by physiatrists with expressed interest in treating TBI survivors. Design: A 70% random sample of members of the Brain Injury Special Interest Group of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation was surveyed by telephone. Main Outcome Measure: The survey instrument was designed to determine the most common pharmacologic interventions for agitation and, where possible, match each drug with the target behavioral and cognitive characteristics for which it is prescribed. Data were also collected on the manner in which participants measured agitation and judged treatment efficacy. Results: One hundred twenty-nine of 157 responded, yielding an 82% response rate. The majority of respondents were not measuring agitation in a standard fashion. The five most frequently prescribed drugs by the expert stratum were carbamazepine, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), trazodone, amantadine, and beta-blockers. In comparison, the nonexperts most often reported prescribing carbamazepine, beta-blockers, haloperidol, TCAs, and benzodiazepines. Desyrel ( p = .06) and amantadine ( p = .001) were significantly more likely to be chosen by experts than by nonexperts. Experts chose haloperidol significantly less often than nonexperts ( p = .01). Prescription of sedating drugs such as haloperidol or benzodiazepines was not found to be associated with the acuity of injury of TBI patients in the respondent's practice, practice setting, or years of practice since completing residency. Choice of haloperidol to treat agitation was not significantly associated with the degree to which explosive anger, verbal aggression, or physical aggression were considered important to the respondent's definition of agitation. Conclusions: The majority of physiatrists surveyed did not formally measure agitation. Treatment strategies differ significantly between general physiatrists and those who specialize in the treatment of patients with TBI. The breadth of pharmacologic agents and strategies identified in this survey probably reflects the lack of research specific to the pathophysiology of the disorder of posttraumatic agitation.
Management of hypertension of renal origin.

Abstract Studies as clinically warranted were accomplished in more than 2,000 patients seen from January 1964 through December 1968 because of hypertension and suspected or proved renal disease. Data from the clinical history, physical examination, laboratory investigation and results of surgical or medical treatment are reported for 100 cases each of 5 entities—glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis, renal cyst, renal tumor and apparent primary hypertension with renal disease. Comparison is made with data included from 100 cases of renal artery stenosis and hypertension. Female patients numbered 286, and predominated in the groups with renal artery stenosis and with pyelonephritis. Ages ranged from 6 to 81 years. Hypertension was less severe in the groups with renal tumor or cyst. Hypertensive changes of the retinal arterioles were more severe in the group with renal artery stenosis and in the group with primary hypertension, and renal function was more severely impaired with glomerulonephritis and primary hypertension. Surgical treatment was given 234 patients, 71 of whom later had normal blood pressures without medical treatment. For 366 patients medical treatment was primary; 125 of these usually maintained diastolic blood pressure of less than 90 mm Hg. Sodium restriction proved a valuable part of conservative management in most cases. Dialysis or transplantation, or both, were required for 49 patients. In the 600 cases, 507 patients are alive 2 to 13 years after initial examination, and 93 have died.
Self-purification in semiconductor nanocrystals.

Doping of nanocrystals is an important and very difficult task. ``Self-purification'' mechanisms are often claimed to make this task even more difficult, as the distance a defect or impurity must move to reach the surface of a nanocrystal is very small. We show that self-purification can be explained through energetic arguments and is an intrinsic property of defects in semiconductor nanocrystals. We find the formation energies of defects increases as the size of the nanocrystal decreases. We analyze the case of Mn-doped CdSe nanocrystals and compare our results to experimental findings.