cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patient satisfaction with telehealth in neurosurgery outpatient clinic during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Background In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, neurosurgical outpatient practices have rapidly adopted telemedicine services to meet the needs of patients. To date, patient satisfaction with telemedicine in the neurosurgery, outpatient setting has not been evaluated with a validated survey. Methods Patients that completed telemedicine (phone or video) visits (new, return, or postoperative visits) in the outpatient neurosurgery clinic from June 1, 2020 to August 15, 2020 were queried with a portion of the Press Ganey® (PG) survey. Survey questions related to satisfaction with the care provider. For each question, satisfaction was defined as a score of 4 or greater on 5 point scale. Demographic data was also collected. ANOVA F-test® was used to compare the continuous variables while Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test was used to compare categorical variables among the three groups. Results The response rate was 19% of the 934 participants who were eligible to participate via email. The 179 respondents included 97 new consults, 20 postoperative visits, and 62 return visits. Mean age was 63 years (range 16–91 years). The female to male ratio was 49.7%–50.3%. For all Press Ganey® questions relating to the care providers, respondents reported aggregate satisfaction rates greater than 92%. There were no significant differences among the three groups (new consults, postoperative visits, return visits) in terms of their demographics or degree of satisfaction (Table 2). Conclusions Implementation of telehealth in an academic neurosurgery program is viable. Our findings demonstrate high levels of patient satisfaction with clinical providers during telehealth visits. Additional study is needed to understand factors driving patient satisfaction with telehealth.
Determinants of nonprofits’ taxable activities

Abstract Although nonprofit is often considered to be synonymous with tax-exempt, many nonprofit organizations earn revenues from unrelated taxable activities, and on average these taxable activities generate $1.5 million in revenues. Policymakers have expressed concern that the pursuit of unrelated taxable revenues can distract a nonprofit from its primary charitable mission. Our results show that nonprofits earn taxable revenues when the taxable activities produce a relatively higher return, the nonprofit itself is experiencing lower profitability, and donor aversion is lower. These results suggest that nonprofits will pursue specific types of unrelated taxable activities, and then only under certain circumstances, reducing concerns over mission drift caused by widespread nonprofit expansion into taxable markets.
Dialogue Concerning Life: Abiogenesis, Biogenesis Or Creationism: Religious Response

Life itself is a mystery, the how and when of life’s origin constitute a serious challenge to both religion and science. To the reasoning mind, the origination of life is an intellectual problem that needs intellectual resolution especially in the domains of science and religion. To this extent, some scientific assumptions and postulations concerning the origin of life and the universe are found in a number of theories such as evolution, biogenesis, and abiogenesis among others. Obviously, all these theories pose serious challenges to most religious beliefs including the notion of creationism. In this paper, the historical and critical analytic methods were used to document and evaluate the various religious responses on the subject. The paper posits that religious adherents should acquit themselves with authentic religious beliefs and integrate them with authentic scientific knowledge.
Anterior Mediastinal Mass

Anesthesia for biopsy or excision of an anterior mediastinal mass (AMM) has the potential for life-threatening or fatal events as a result of airway occlusion, tamponade, pulmonary outflow obstruction, and/or loss of venous return. General anesthesia may convert such mass effects from subcritical to critical.
Is a Lumbar Puncture Required to Rule Out Atraumatic Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Emergency Department Patients With Headache and Normal Brain Computed Tomography More Than Six Hours After Symptom Onset

Abstract Background Atraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a deadly condition that most commonly presents as acute, severe headache. Controversy exists concerning evaluation of SAH based on the time from onset of symptoms, specifically if the headache occurred > 6 h prior to patient presentation. Clinical Question Do patients undergoing evaluation for atraumatic SAH who have a negative computed tomography (CT) scan of the head obtained more than 6 h after symptom onset require a subsequent lumbar puncture to rule out the diagnosis? Evidence Review Studies retrieved included a retrospective cohort study, two prospective cohort studies, and a case-control study. These studies provide estimates of the diagnostic accuracy of head CT imaging obtained > 6 h from symptom onset and diagnostic test characteristics of subsequent lumbar puncture. Conclusion The probability of SAH above which emergency clinicians should perform a lumbar puncture is 1.0%. This threshold is essentially the same as the estimated probability of SAH in patients with a negative head CT obtained more than 6 h from symptom onset. Emergency physicians might reasonably decide to either perform or forego this procedure. Consequently, we contend that the decision whether to perform lumbar puncture in these instances is an excellent candidate for shared decision-making.
The Russian experience: national curricula, national standards, textbooks

The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, and Russia, the largest of the countries formed in its place, has gone through notable changes in the period since then. This paper is devoted to the study of how (and whether) the mathematics curriculum has changed. At one time, before the revolution of 1917, Russian mathematics education was closely connected with Western European mathematics education (above all, German and French). Subsequently, their paths diverged, and later, Russian mathematics education became very highly regarded around the world. What, then, has happened over the last three decades? To what extent does the Russian curriculum today differ from the old Soviet curriculum and from contemporary curricula in other countries? The answers to these questions are of interest to an international audience already because they help in understanding the processes and distinctive characteristics of the development of mathematics education, including differences that might be concealed even behind identical terms. Based on a detailed analysis of Russian standards and textbooks, conclusions are drawn about the processes in the transformation of the curriculum that have occurred over thirty years, including the conclusion that the period of transition that began in the late 1980s is still not over. The Russian curriculum, of course, is not exactly the same as the curriculum of Soviet times, but the differences between them are by no means revolutionary. The paths of the development of mathematics education in Russia and in Western Europe and the United States, having at some point diverged, have still not come back together.
Amicus Brief on Arbitrability of the Discharge (Anderson v. Credit One Bank)

This amicus brief was filed in Anderson v. Credit One Bank, No. 16-2496 (2d. Cir.). The brief explains why a debtor's claim for violation of the bankruptcy discharge injunction is not subject to a predispute arbitration agreement. The brief makes three arguments: (1) the history of the bankruptcy discharge shows Congress intentionally chose injunctive relief to enforce the bankruptcy discharge; (2) the bankruptcy discharge and discharge injunction are not "claims" against which an arbitration agreement can operate; and (3) the discharge injunction is a central piece of the Bankruptcy Code that inherently conflicts with the Federal Arbitration Act.
Novel Biomarker-Targeted Therapies for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common and fatal malignancies worldwide. Screening, surgery, and adjuvant therapy have proved efficacious in improving outcomes for early-stage disease. Despite decades of research efforts, cytotoxic chemotherapy has been the mainstay of treatment for metastatic disease and the prognosis remains unsatisfactory. Compelling evidence suggests that a fundamental reason for the limited success is the cancer's inherent dynamic heterogeneity, which is more predominant in late-stage disease. As our understanding of this molecular blueprint of CRC has evolved, a new avenue of targeted therapies has emerged. Beginning with epidermal growth factor receptor and vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors, numerous targeted agents have been developed and investigated in large, multicenter, prospective clinical trials. Testing for mutations in RAS (KRAS and NRAS), BRAF, and HER2 and for mismatch repair/microsatellite instability and NTRK fusions has now been incorporated in the management guidelines, with additional biomarkers rapidly surfacing. As we enter the latest paradigm of precision oncology in CRC, this article will provide an overview of the different molecular subsets of CRC and the current biomarker-targeted therapies in the management of metastatic disease.
Editorial Comment: CT-Derived Left Atrial Parameters That Predict Mortality After TAVR-Is There Additional Important Information Than Is Usually Reported?

This Editorial Comment discusses the following AJR article: Utility of Functional and Volumetric Left Atrial Parameters Derived From Preprocedural Cardiac CTA in Predicting Mortality After Transcat...
All Part of God's Plan?

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph. "My whole life, my parents have always sent me to a catholic school. Ever since I can remember, I have had God in my life. What I was taught when I was young and impressionable, was that God is always with me, looking out for me and making sure I do the right thing, much like a father figure. I received all my sacraments, never asking any questions about the God that I believe in, the God that I was taught to believe in. It might sound naive, but up until I reached college, I have had an unchanged image of God in my mind. Maybe it was because I had other pressing issues concerning my life, or that I never had an experience to change my idea of God, or maybe what it really came down to was, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” kind of mentality. Do not get me wrong, I have had experiences that make me ask “God, why did you let this kind of thing happen?” But the easy and simple answer I have heard my whole life is, “its all part of God’s plan, He does things for a reason”." This brief essay is available in Verbum: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/verbum/vol2/iss1/4 All Part of God’s Plan?
Civilizing the Economy: A New Economics of Provision

List of figures List of tables Preface 1. Introduction: creating a just and sustainable economy Part I. Creating a New Economic Framework: 2. Adam Smith's silence and an economics of property 3. Reclaiming the notions of provision and family 4. Making provisions in a dangerous world Part II. The Civic Option: 5. From property relations to civic relations 6. Society, civil society and the market 7. Restoring reciprocity 8. Civic norms and market competition Part III. A Civic View of Labor, Land, and Money: 9. Labor: employment as engagement 10. Land: ownership as a concession 11. Money: commodity or credit Part IV. Civilizing Economic Systems: 12. A world of systems 13. Imagining stakeholder economy 14. The ethics of economic systems 15. Changing systems of provision Part V. A Civic Agenda: 16. The civic obligations of corporations: 17. Creating circumstances for civic conversations Appendix: free enterprise and the economics of slavery Bibliography Index.
Deletion analysis of the Chinese hamster dihydrofolate reductase gene promoter.

Deletion analysis of the 5′ flank of the Chinese hamster dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) gene reveals a promoter region starting 48 base pairs upstream of the major transcriptional start site. A dhfr minigene containing approximately 900 base pairs of 5′ flank and one small intron was used as a wild-type standard. Seven deletions were created with BAL-31. Promoter activity was measured in three ways: 1) transient expression of the dhfr gene; 2) frequence of transfection of dhfr- Chinese hamster cells to a dhfr+ phenotype; and 3) RNase protection analysis of dhfr transcripts in pooled populations of permanently transfected cells. The transient expression assay was developed in this work for the rapid analysis of dhfr promoter mutants; this assay could be of general use for analyzing constructs carrying dhfr as a reporter gene. Two of the deletions define a requirement for part or all of the sequence GGGCGT located 48 base pairs upstream of the major transcriptional start site. This site has been shown to bind transcription factor Sp1 in the mouse dhfr gene. The function of the major promoter is independent of the function of the minor promoter. These minigene constructs also contain cryptic promoters located upstream of the natural start sites, probably in the plasmid vector. Transcripts originating from these upstream sites are inefficiently spliced, but do result in messenger RNA molecules that are translated into active dihydrofolate reductase.
Relaxation Processes: Cross Correlation and Interference Terms

Generally, athermal nuclear spin polarizations and coherences are dissipated through multiple relaxation pathways or channels. As a first approximation, each pathway has an associated relaxation rate and the overall relaxation rate is simply the sum of individual rates. However, upon closer inspection, it is argued that in most instances, competing relaxation pathways are correlated and a much more complex relaxation process is predicted. In this article, it is demonstrated that interference (cross correlation) between various interactions results in polarization and coherence transfer. Operator expansions of the density operator make this realization clear and reveals that creation of transient multispin order is the characteristic signature of cross correlation. Familiar interferences, dipole–dipole and dipole-shielding anisotropy, are discussed in detail. Numerous examples and closed-form expressions are presented. The important relationship between the cross-correlation spectral density and motional anisotropy is discussed and quantified.
Space Technology 5 measurements of auroral field-aligned current sheet motion

[1] During the 90-day Space Technology 5 (ST-5) mission, a total of 2535 auroral field-aligned current (FAC) signatures were identified. Of these 1030 were suitable to be modeled as semi-infinite current sheets aligned with L-shells and moving with constant speed in the north or south directions (hereafter called FAC speed). FAC speeds were found to range from −1 to 1 km/s with larger mean magnitude during intervals of higher geomagnetic activity. At ST-5 altitudes, ∼300 to 4500 km, the median relative errors in FAC thickness and current density, when stationary FAC is assumed, are 4%. When the ST-5 FAC speed determinations are extrapolated along the IGRF-10 magnetic field lines, these errors increase to 23% and 24% at 4 RE, and 65% and 124% at 8 RE, respectively.
Systematic Optimization of Expression and Refolding of the Plasmodium falciparum Cysteine Protease Falcipain-2.

The Plasmodium falciparum cysteine protease falcipain-2 is a potential new target for antimalarial chemotherapy. In order to obtain large quantities of active falcipain-2 for biochemical and structural analysis, a systematic assessment of optimal parameters for the expression and refolding of the protease was carried out. High-yield expression was achieved using M15(pREP4) Escherichia coli transformed with the pQE-30 plasmid containing a truncated profalcipain-2 construct. Recombinant falcipain-2 was expressed as inclusion bodies, solubilized, and purified by nickel affinity chromatography. A systematic approach was then used to optimize refolding parameters. This approach utilized 100-fold dilutions of reduced and denatured falcipain-2 into 203 different buffers in a microtiter plate format. Refolding efficiency varied markedly. Optimal refolding was obtained in an alkaline buffer containing glycerol or sucrose and equal concentrations of reduced and oxidized glutathione. After optimization of the expression and refolding protocols and additional purification with anion-exchange chromatography, 12 mg of falcipain-2 was obtained from 5 liters of E. coli, and crystals of the protease were grown. The systematic approach described here allowed the rapid evaluation of a large number of expression and refolding conditions and provided milligram quantities of recombinant falcipain-2.
Work is where we live: Emotional literacy and the psychological dimensions of the various relationships there

Abstract Work is where many of us live for many hours a day and yet the emotional importance of work in people's live is often downplayed. This paper argues for greater emotional literacy at work, focusing on professions for which relationships with others are key. I explore questions of motivations for doing the work we do, the emotional impacts those we work with have on us, and what we can do to make the conditions in which we work as enabling as possible.
Comparison of TCA and collagenase in the isolation of tissue collagen.

Abstract Studies on collagen metabolism often require the separation of collagen from other noncollagen proteins. The two major methods of isolating collagen are hot (90°C) trichloroacetic acid (TCA) extraction and/or collagenase solubilization. Though both procedures are widely used, a direct comparison and evaluation of their specificity and efficiency has not been investigated. In this study the specificity of both methods was examined using [ 14 C]tryptophan labeled proteins and the efficiency of collagen isolation was examined using a [ 14 C]glycine labeled rat aortic homogenate. Protease free collagenase was highly specific in solubilizing collagen, while the hot TCA extract contained up to 14% of [ 14 C]tryptophan-labeled noncollagen proteins. The hot TCA method consistently removed greater than 88% of total collagen from aortic tissue while the collagenase solubilization efficiency was less than 65%. Both procedures produced pure collagen fractions based on proline/hydroxyproline ratios. These data indicate that hot TCA yields a more complete extraction than does collagenase solubilization, but collagenase is more specific in its solubilization of collagen tissue proteins.
Black holes in the milky way galaxy.

Extremely strong observational evidence has recently been found for the presence of black holes orbiting a few relatively normal stars in our Milky Way Galaxy and also at the centers of some galaxies. The former generally have masses of 4–16 times the mass of the sun, whereas the latter are “supermassive black holes” with millions to billions of solar masses. The evidence for a supermassive black hole in the center of our galaxy is especially strong.
Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Iron(II) Complexes with Tris(imidazolyl)phosphane Ligands: A Platform for Modeling the 3‐Histidine Facial Triad of Nonheme Iron Dioxygenases

Several monoiron(II) complexes containing tris(imidazolyl)phosphane (TIP) ligands have been prepared and structurally characterized by using X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy. Two TIP ligands were employed: tris(2-phenylimidazol-4-yl)phosphane (4-TIPPh) and tris(4,5-diphenyl-1-methylimidazol-2-yl)phosphane (2-TIPPh2). These tridentate ligands resemble the 3-histidine (3His) facial triad found recently in the active sites of certain nonheme iron dioxygenases. Three of the reported complexes are designed to serve as convenient precursors to species that model the enzyme–substrate intermediates of 3His dioxygenases; thus, each contains an [Fe(κ3-TIP)]2+ unit in which the remaining coordination sites are occupied by easily displaced ligands, such as solvent molecules and/or carboxylate groups. The viability of these complexes as precursors was demonstrated through the synthesis of TIP-based complexes with β-diketonate and salicylate ligands that represent faithful models of β-diketone dioxygenase and salicylate 1,2-dioxygenase, respectively.
Clinically relevant cancer chemotherapy dose scheduling via mixed-integer optimization

Cancer is a class of diseases characterized by an imbalance between cell proliferation and programmed cell death. Chemotherapy is commonly employed as a treatment by clinicians, who must deliver the agent on a schedule that balances treatment efficacy with the toxic side effects. Engineers have considered the development of drug administration schedules for simulated cancer patients constrained by pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) models. The results typically involve mathematically elegant solutions, although the clinical utility of such results is limited by the formulation of the problem as well as the level of abstraction. At issue is the common disconnect between solutions that are mathematically vs. clinically optimal. The focus of this work is to develop a methodology which can explicitly account for the constraints clinicians consider implicitly. To demonstrate the clinical relevance of this methodology two case studies were considered: a theoretical system from the literature and a preclinical mouse model. The problem formulation is accomplished in a mixed-integer programming framework that is capable of solving problems with complex objectives and constraints yielding results that are clinically relevant.
Projective module groups of SLn(Z) and GLn(Z)

Let f be a group and ZT its integral group ring. Very little seems to be known about the classification of projective U-modules unless r is finite or abelian or is built from such groups by generalized free products. For torsion free f, the only known nonfree projective U-modules seem to be those constructed by Dunwoody [2] for the trefoil group r = (x, y I x2 = y3>, and his modules P are stably free. (In fact, P 0 Zf = Zf 0 ET.) At this time no torsion free r is known for which &(Zr) # 0. Conceivably &(iZr) can be largely described in terms of the finite subgroups G of r if r is not torsion free. For example, we always have the images of induction
Halitunal, an unusual diterpene aldehyde from the marine alga Halimeda tuna

Halituna(1), a novel diterpene aldehyde possessing a unique cyclopentadieno[c]pyran ring system, has been isolated from the marine alga Halimeda tuna. The structure of 1 was elucidated by spectroscopic techniques. Halitunal shows antiviral activity against murine coronavirus A59 in-vitro.
Hypertension and type 2 diabetes comorbidity in adults in the United States: risk of overall and regional adiposity.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of generalized, abdominal, and truncal fat deposits on the risk of hypertension and/or diabetes and to determine whether ethnic differences in these fat patterns are independently associated with increased risk for the hypertension–diabetes comorbidity (HDC). Research Methods and Procedures: Data (n = 7075) from the Third U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used for this investigation. To assess risks of hypertension and/or diabetes that were due to different fat patterns, odds ratios of men and women with various cut-points of adiposities were compared with normal subjects in logistic regression models, adjusting for age, smoking, and alcohol intake. To evaluate the contribution of ethnic differences in obesity to the risks of HDC, we compared blacks and Hispanics with whites. Results: Generalized and abdominal obesities were independently associated with increased risk of hypertension, diabetes and HDC in white, black, and Hispanic men and women. The risk of HDC due to generalized, truncal, and abdominal obesities tended to be higher in whites than blacks and Hispanics. In men, the contribution of black and Hispanic ethnicities to the increased risk of HDC due to the various obesity phenotypes was ∼73% and ∼61%, respectively. The corresponding values for black and Hispanic women were ∼115% and ∼125%, respectively. Conclusions: In addition to advocating behavioral lifestyles to curb the epidemic of obesity among at-risk populations in the United States, there is also the need for primary health care practitioners to craft their advice to the degree and type of obesity in these at-risk groups.
The impact of human-centered features on the usability of a programming system for children

HANDS is a new programming system for children that was designed for usability. This paper examines the effectiveness of three features of HANDS: queries, aggregate operations, and data visibility. The system is compared with a limited version that lacks these features. In the limited version, programmers can achieve the same results but must use more traditional programming techniques. Children using the full-featured HANDS system performed significantly better than their peers who used the limited version. This provides evidence that usability of programming systems can be improved by including these features.
Third Annual World Congress on the Insulin Resistance Syndrome: Atherothrombotic disease

This is the second of three articles reviewing presentations at the 3rd Annual World Congress on the Insulin Resistance Syndrome, San Francisco, California, 17–19 November 2005. At a symposium cosponsored by the International Society of Diabetes and Vascular Disease (www.dvdres.com), Peter Grant (Leeds, U.K.) discussed the role of insulin signaling pathways in acute coronary syndrome (ACS), pointing out that type 2 diabetes is characterized by fasting hyperglycemia, usually with obesity, accompanied by a clustering of CVD risk factors, with 80% of persons with type 2 diabetes dying of premature vascular disease. In persons with diabetes, glycemic abnormality is superimposed on the abnormalities of the insulin resistance sydrome, so that similar considerations apply to the larger group of persons with insulin resistance. Indeed, we may underestimate the importance of glycemic abnormality in cardiovascular disease (CVD), with recent studies suggesting that some 40% of persons with myocardial infarction have diabetes, with an additional 40% having impaired glucose tolerance (1). The cardiovascular manifestations of insulin resistance sydrome constitute a series of inflammatory atherothrombotic processes, with atherectomy specimen analysis showing more thrombus, more macrophage infiltration, and a greater area of lipid-rich atheroma in persons with diabetes (2). Furthermore, type 2 diabetes alters fibrin structure, coagulation, and platelets in a prothrombotic direction (3). It is not apparent why insulin resistance should be linked to atherosclerosis. The thrifty genotype hypothesis suggests that there is a survival advantage to insulin resistance during periods of feast alternating with famine (4), but that chronic exposure to high nutrient intake converts the organism to the phenotype of insulin resistance sydrome and diabetes, with energy preferentially stored in the liver and in fat and with the clustering of risk markers we have come to identify with insulin resistance. The common-soil hypothesis suggests that diabetes and CVD are the same condition, …
Five Years Later: Resiliency Among Older Adult Survivors of Hurricane Katrina

The purpose of this study was to examine the resilience of older adult survivors of Hurricane Katrina in light of their traumatic experiences and multiple losses. Ten Mississippi Gulf Coast residents who have survived Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath were interviewed. The participants were 65 years old or older. Their responses were audiotaped and transcribed. The transcripts were analyzed using phenomenological methodology and NVivo 2.5 software. Three major themes emerged. Participants described finding personal gratification, realizing their ability to cope, and developing a new interest in life through their novel experiences.
Towards Efficient Mapping, Scheduling, and Execution of HPC Applications on Platforms in Cloud

The advantages of pay-as-you-go model, elasticity, and the flexibility and customization offered by virtualization make cloud computing an attractive option for meeting the needs of some High Performance Computing (HPC) users. However, there is a mismatch between cloud environments and HPC requirements. The poor interconnect and I/O performance in cloud, HPC-agnostic cloud schedulers, and the inherent heterogeneity and multi-tenancy in cloud are some bottlenecks for effective HPC in cloud. Our primary thesis is that cloud is suitable for some HPC applications not all applications, and for those applications, cloud can be more cost-effective compared to typical dedicated HPC platforms using intelligent application-to-platform mapping, HPC-aware cloud schedulers, and cloud-aware HPC execution and parallel runtime system. To address the challenges, and to exploit the opportunities offered by HPC-clouds, we make Open-Stack Nova scheduler HPC-aware and Charm++ parallel runtime system cloud-aware. We demonstrate that our techniques resulting significant improvement in cost (up to 60%), performance (up to 45%), and throughput (up to 32%) for HPC in cloud; helping cloud users gain confidence in the capabilities of cloud for HPC, and cloud providers run a more profitable business.
Connexus: a communal interface

Human communication and interaction comprise a wide range of verbal and nonverbal cues. Further adoption of novel telecommunication methods such as e-mail, chat, instant messaging (IM), mobile phone SMS text messaging, and videoconferencing; have augmented our mediated interaction abilities. However, a significant (and important) amount of human expression and interaction information is never captured, transmitted, or expressed with current computer mediated communication (CMC) tools. We also lack ambient methods of maintaining contact when not co-located with family and friends. Communal Interfaces is a new research effort aimed at the study of nonverbal human cues: their intent, motion, meaning, subtleties, and importance in communication. In this paper we address issues involved in the design, construction, and evaluation of Connexus, one such communal interface.
Necrotizing fasciitis following laparoscopic surgery : Case report and review of the literature

Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare and potentially fatal infection characterized by rapid and progressive involvement of the fascia and subcutaneous tissues. Early diagnosis, aggressive initial debridement followed by planned redebridements in conjunction with nutritional support and antibiotics remain the mainstay of therapy. We present a case of necrotizing fasciitis of the abdominal wall following a laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy. Literature is reviewed and discussed with reference to this catastrophic infection in the age of laparoscopic surgery.
Symptomatic vaginal enterocele associated with malfunctioning ventriculoperitoneal shunt and cerebrospinal ascites

Abdominal pseudocyst formation is a rare adult complication associated with ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts. Presenting symptoms are primarily abdominal and include distention, pain and anorexia, and secondarily neurological with signs and symptoms of shunt malfunction. We describe a case of VP shunt-related pseudocyst formation presenting as symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse with stage 4 enterocele 4 years after VP shunt placement. The patient's vaginal enterocele enlarged and became more symptomatic as intra-abdominal cyst formation expanded. Symptomatic relief of pelvic floor symptomatology including resolution of exteriorized prolapse was established by conservative measures and eventual VP shunt revision and removal. VP shunt malfunction may present as symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse and may require shunt removal or revision for resolution of symptoms.
Improved Analysis for Flexural Creep with Application to Sialon Ceramics

By using a statistical least-squares method to minimize the differences between predicted and measured load-point displacement rates from four-point bend specimens, power-law creep parameters for tension and compression were estimated. An alternative but simpler method of estimating power-law creep parameters from flexural creep data is also proposed. This method entails the direct measurements of steady-state creep strain rates at two stress levels by an indentation technique. Based on a closed-form solution, the power-law creep parameters could then be estimated from both the measured neutral axis locations and curvature rates. The results from these two methods compare favorably with one another, and with the simple compressive creep data. Both methods yield a high stress exponent of about 14 for tension and a stress exponent of about unity for compression. Cavitation-enhanced creep in tension and diffusional creep in compression are responsible for this asymmetric behavior. [Key words: sialons, flexure, creep, tensile, compression.]
MAGNETOSPHERIC AND HIGH LATITUDE IONOSPHERIC DISTURBANCE PHENOMENA.

This paper is divided into two sections. In the first of these we will discuss the average behaviour of magnetospheric and high-latitude ionospheric disturbance phenomena. Relevant observational data will be interrelated through consideration of the bulk motion (convective) flow pattern of the magnetosphere and the associated electric-field distribution. The term ‘average behaviour’ above refers to time-scales on the order of 1 year. In the second section we will deal with the characteristic temporal modulation of the average disturbance pattern. The material to be presented is essentially the same as that given in two papers at the Conjugate Point Symposium in Boulder (Brice, 1967a, b).
The intersection of gender politics and religious beliefs

Traditional understanding has placed conservatism at the intersection of religion and politics and has assumed that this relationship is stronger for women than it is for men. Yet rarely has gender been a principal analytic category in such explorations, and the relationships have not been thoroughly documented. We analyze the 1980 and 1984 National Election Study data and find that religion is not a more conservatizing influence on voting behavior for women than it is for men. Reagan did best with the small group of women fundamentalist believers, and did rather well among highly religious Catholic women. In most other cases the gender gap actually widened with increasing religiosity. Although women are more religious than men, political observers are cautioned that this finding cannot be taken as evidence of women's greater support for conservative candidates.
Is acculturation related to obesity in Hispanic/Latino adults? Results from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos

Background. The study examined the association of obesity with acculturation in a large and diverse sample of US Hispanic/Latino adults. Methods. The Hispanic Community Health Study (HCHS)/Study of Latinos (SOL) is a community-based cohort study of Hispanic/Latino adults aged 18–74 years () from four urban areas. Height and weight were directly measured using a standardized protocol. Acculturation was assessed by the Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (SASH). Other immigration related variables included place of birth, length of residency in the US, and age at immigration. Odds ratios were calculated to assess the association of overweight, moderate obesity, and extreme obesity ( kg/m2) with acculturation and sociodemographic variables. Results. The prevalence of obesity was 42.4% for women and 36.5% for men and varied by field center and Hispanic/Latino background. The strongest predictor of moderate and extreme obesity was length of residency in mainland US. This association was consistent across Hispanic/Latino backgrounds. Acculturation was not significantly associated with obesity. Discussion. The burden of obesity is high among Hispanic/Latino adults. The study findings suggest that prolonged exposure to the environments in these communities, rather than acculturation, is an important risk factor for obesity in this population.
Lytic Cycle of Toxoplasma gondii

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular pathogen within the phylum Apicomplexa. This protozoan parasite is one of the most widespread, with a broad host range including many birds and mammals and a geographic range that is nearly worldwide. While infection of healthy adults is usually relatively mild, serious disease can result in utero or when the host is immunocompromised. This sophisticated eukaryote has many specialized features that make it well suited to its intracellular lifestyle. In this review, we describe the current knowledge of how the asexual tachyzoite stage of Toxoplasma attaches to, invades, replicates in, and exits the host cell. Since this process is closely analogous to the way in which viruses reproduce, we refer to it as the Toxoplasma “lytic cycle.”
Numerical modeling of on-glass conformal automobile antennas

This paper presents the development of computer models for the analysis of on-glass conformal automobile antennas. The numerical models used are the method of moments (MoM) and the uniform geometric theory of diffraction (UTD). Models were developed to analyze antennas for low-frequency applications (AM), antennas on a resonant vehicle structure (FM), and high-frequency applications (cellular, Global Positioning System (GPS), radar). Calculation results were verified using measurements.
TRACHEAL RESECTIONS: LESSONS LEARNED

Tracheal resection and primary anastomosis can be performed for the management of congenital, traumatic, iatrogenic, and neoplastic etiologies of tracheal stenosis. During a 19-year period, we performed 45 tracheal resections on 38 patients with low operative mortality (7.9%) and morbidity. One patients had congenital tracheal stenosis (group 1); 4 patients had stenosis resulting from traumatic lesions (group 2); 18 patients had stenosis caused by tracheostomy or endotracheal tubes (group 3); and 15 patients had stenosis caused by a variety of neoplastic lesions (nine primary and six secondary) (group 4). Preoperative evaluation and surgical and anesthesia management are described. Eight tracheal stents were used (three Neville prostheses and five Montgomery T tubes). Disastrous results occurred with the Neville prosthesis, but acceptable results were obtained when the Montgomery T tube was used. There were several "lessons learned" during the evolution of this series. Chest roentgenograms are not useful. Tracheal tomography and computed tomography are extremely informative in evaluation of iatrogenic and neoplastic lesions. Proper mobilization allows primary anastomosis after almost all resections. Excellent results were obtained with iatrogenic lesions. Increased mortality and morbidity occur in patients undergoing resection for neoplastic lesions; however, 5-year survival is good, and results are gratifying.
DNA conformational effects on the interaction of netropsin with A-tract sequences.

The influence of cosolutes and DNA sequence on the interaction of netropsin with three duplexes has been studied by isothermal titration calorimetry. In buffer, netropsin forms two complexes with a net stoichiometry of 1:1 in the minor groove of the oligonucleotide (GCGCGAATTCGCGC)2. One complex has a weaker affinity and is more enthalpically favored relative to the other one, consistent with previous studies [Freyer, M. W., et al. (2006) Biophys. Chem. 126, 186−196]. With the cosolutes betaine and 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol, the enthalpy and heat capacity changes indicate that the complex with weaker affinity is disfavored relative to the complex with higher affinity. With (CGCGCAATTGCGCG)2, netropsin has one binding mode in buffer, and complex formation is not influenced by the cosolutes. The similarities of the enthalpy and heat capacity changes suggest that netropsin interacts similarly with these two oligonucleotides in the presence of cosolutes. The oligonucleotide (GCGCAAATTTGCGC)2 also forms two com...
Theoretical and experimental studies on large-bandwidth 1.55-μm integrated InP-based strained MQW laser-modulators

The performance characteristics of an integrated InGaAsP/InP laser-modulator made by one step epitaxy and well-controlled reactive ion etching (RIE) have been analyzed and measured. A theoretical model based on a finite-difference time domain (FDTD) technique was used to simulate the propagation of a optical wave launched in the coupled system and determine the reflectivity of the facets created by RIE. The calculated effective reflectivity of the coupling region consisting of two facets and an air gap in between is 0.55, which is in a good agreement with the experimentally measured value of 0.5. The reflectivity of a single etched mirror derived from this value is estimated to be 0.3. A 120 micrometer long integrated modulator excited by the laser shows a maximum extinction ratio of 8 dB and a modulation bandwidth greater than or equal to 14 GHz at a dc bias of minus 0.5 V with a bias swing of 2 V. This is comparable to the best results reported for an integrated modulator.
Degradation of rat brain cholinergic muscarinic receptors in vitro: enhancement by agonists and inhibition by antagonists.

: Cholinergic muscarinic receptors undergo proteolytic degradation in vitro under physiological conditions as shown by a loss in [3H]quinuclidinylbenzilate binding activity. The serine protease inhibitor phenyl-methylsulfonyl fluoride was very effective in diminishing the receptor loss. Soybean trypsin inhibitor was less effective. Both EDTA and EGTA were also effective in abolishing receptor degradation, suggesting the involvement of metallopeptidases in the process. Calcium-dependent neutral proteases requiring sulfhydryl reducing agents did not seem to be involved in receptor degradation. Dithiothreitol failed to enhance receptor degradation and iodoacetamide, leupeptin, and antipain, inhibitors of this enzyme class, failed to alter receptor loss as measured by radioligand binding. Most of the proteolytic activity occurred in the cytosol and was readily resolved from the receptor in the membrane fraction. We found that [3H]quinuclidinylbenzilate, an antagonist, inhibited the rate of receptor loss. On the other hand, agonists (acetylcholine, methacholine, and muscarine) appeared to enhance the rate of receptor loss. We postulate that these opposite effects are due to differences in receptor conformation in response to ligand binding. Susceptibility to proteolysis may therefore serve as a probe for receptor conformation.
Using a Serious Game Approach to Teach Secure Coding in Introductory Programming: Development and Initial Findings.

We report the development and initial evaluation of a serious game that, in conjunction with appropriately designed matching laboratory exercises, can be used to teach secure coding and Information...
Science Operations Management

The operation teams engaged in the IR Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) project included scientists from the IRAS International Science Team. The detailed involvement of these scientists in the design, testing, validation, and operations phases of the IRAS mission contributed to the success of this project. The Project Management Group spent a substantial amount of time discussing science-related issues, because science team coleaders were members from the outset. A single scientific point-of-contact for the Management Group enhanced the depth and continuity of agreement reached in decision-making.
Oral manifestations of secondary hyperparathyroidism related to long-term hemodialysis therapy

Patients on long-term hemodialysis therapy may develop secondary hyperparathyroidism with oral symptoms. As the life expectancy of the dialysis patient increases, the dentist is seeing these manifestations with increasing frequency. A review of the subject is presented along with a case illustrating dramatic roentgenographic changes in a patient who was placed on hemodialysis when the technique was in its infancy.
Why Religion has become more Salient in Europe: Four Working Hypotheses about Secularization and Religiosity in Contemporary Politics

The nation and the Church are never far apart in Europe. The Westphalian state-system defined allegiance and loyalty to the state as correlates of religious conformity. The re-emergence of religious conflict in Europe is the paradoxical result of globalization and individualization. The new social meaning of faith compels courts, governments, and the general publics to re-examine the old stability pacts between the national Churches and states. The belated secularization of the state is the likely outcome.
Matrix elements in the analytic tetrahedron method

The analytic tetrahedron method for evaluating various principal value integrals over a Brillouin zone is generalized to allow for variation of matrix elements or other functions in the numerator of the integrand throughout each tetrahedron. A three-dimensional Taylor series expansion retaining terms involving the gradient is made for the matrix elements, and the resulting integrals over an arbitrarily shaped tetrahedron are evaluated. Principal value integrals may then be written as a sum of analytic functions. Because of the properties of the matrix element integrals, calculational time is comparable to the time required in the usual analytic tetrahedron method even though the expressions are somewhat more complicated. Various limiting forms of the analytic expressions which are needed for numerical applications are presented.
Relative aversiveness of subcutaneous shock and footshock in the rat

Relative aversiveness of subcutaneous shock and footshock was assessed by means of a spatial preference technique. Subcutaneous shock was less aversive than footshock by a factor of 10, except at near lethal shock intensities. where receptor-cell hyperpola rization. electrocauterization, and/or muscular tetanization may have occurred
Maturation and developmental stage-related changes in fetal globin gene expression are reproduced in transiently transfected primary adult human erythroblasts

A novel system is described, which uses transfection of primary human erythroblasts for the study of gene regulation in differentiating human red cells. This system includes a protocol for liquid culture of erythroid progenitors, which reproduces developmental differences in globin gene expression found between adult and cord blood as well as the maturation-related changes in fetal globin levels observed in adult cells. Reporter constructs driven by globin gene promoters were electroporated into adult and cord blood-derived erythroblasts at different time points during culture. Both the developmental stage and maturation-related differences in endogenous fetal and adult globin gene expression could be reproduced by the transiently transfected reporter constructs. Transfection of primary human erythroblasts during differentiation provides a previously unavailable opportunity to study dynamic aspects of erythropoiesis.
Doping and dopant behavior in (Al,Ga)As grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

Abstract The controlled doping of n- and p-type Al x Ga 1−x As has been studied for the dopant elements, C, Zn, Si, and Sn. Both the incorporation characteristics and the electrical properties of these dopants are reviewed and discussed fo Al x Ga 1−x As grown by th metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) technique. The incorporation of Si from SiH 4 and Si 2 H 6 is dominated by heterogeneous and homogenous reactions respectively and represents the best understood of the doping systems. Zinc and carbon both possess complex dependencies on the MOVPE growth system parameters. The electrical behavior of n-Al x Ga 1− x As is dominated by the presence of the DX center. The relationship between this center and the electrical behavior of the material must be understood in order to properly characterize the doping behavior in Al x Ga 1−x As layers and structures.