cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Atypical radiographic appearance of anaplastic ependymoma that mimics arteriovenous malformation: a case report (P2.6-021)

Objective: NA Background: Ependymomas are rare glial tumors that typically arise from the ventricular ependymal tissue. Anaplastic ependymomas (WHO grade III) are the most aggressive and usually associated with poorer prognosis, particularly those with positive RELA fusion. Areas of cysts, hemorrhages or calcifications are common within these tumors. However, it is unusual to have a radiographic appearance mimicking arteriovenous malformation (AVM). Given its infrequent occurrence, early recognition, urgent neurosurgery consultation and tissue biopsy is crucial to ensure timely diagnosis and treatment. Design/Methods: NA Results: 67-year-old Caucasian male presents with subacute onset of confusion, headache and vomiting. He was last seen well 8 days prior to admission. One day prior to admission, patient developed nausea and vomiting. On the day of admission, he told his son on the phone that he was in New York and was locked at home. His son localized him by his phone company and found him at his house in Philadelphia. He appeared confused and was brought to the emergency department. CT brain and CT angiography revealed 1cm focal acute intraparenchymal hemorrhage within an AVM of right frontotemporal lobe with 6mm leftward midline shift. MRI brain with contrast showed 5.8 cm temporal lobe partially hemorrhagic, cystic and solid heterogeneously enhancing mass with abnormal signal within right lateral ventricle adjacent to the mass. Conventional angiography revealed a large hypervascular tumor in the right temporal region without evidence of AVM. Patient underwent gross total resection of the tumor and pathology revealed anaplastic ependymoma, WHO grade III, with focal clear cell changes. He received concurrent chemoradiation followed by adjuvant temozolomide. His symptoms improve postoperatively. Conclusions: This case illustrates that anaplastic ependymomas can be highly vascular and appear similar to vascular malformation. Recognition of this atypical radiographic feature of ependymomas with early neurosurgical intervention and tissue biopsy is critical for good neurological outcome. Disclosure: Dr. Hsieh has nothing to disclose. Dr. Diaz Rojas has nothing to disclose. Dr. Yang has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cooper has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bombonati has nothing to disclose. Dr. Patel has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zhang has nothing to disclose.
The Short Happy Life of the Yale Program in Law and Modernization: From the Cold War to Comparative Legal Sociology and Critical Legal Studies

In 1969, the Yale Law School received a $1,000,000 grant from the United States Agency for International Development for a Program in Law and Modernization. Yale promised to study legal impediments to modernization, assess legal needs of modernization projects, train lawyers for research and development work, and disseminate knowledge. The Program was conceived by David Trubek and William Felstiner, former USAID lawyer-administrators, who, along with Richard Abel, ran it. Launched in the shadow of the Cold War, it started with the implicit promise of diffusing US liberal ideas about law and transplanting US legal institutions and culture, and was seemingly aligned with US foreign policy. Flush with USAID resources, the Program mounted innovative courses, brought Visiting Professors and Fellows with Third World expertise to Yale, supported scholars from the Third World and elsewhere seeking advanced degrees, funded research by Yale faculty, students, and Fellows, held workshops and conferences, and published Working Papers and articles. Linked with the nascent Law and Society Association, it sought to create a Comparative Sociology of Law. There were vigorous debates ranging from the nature of law and social science to the role of the US in the Third World, all on a campus roiled by student protests over the War in Vietnam and racism in the US. Gradually, the Program became a locus for critique of liberal ideas about law and social science, a source of doubts about US foreign policy, and an incubator for critical studies in law and legal sociology. By 1976, the founding directors were gone and the Program was soon closed. In 1977, nine law professors convened the first Critical Legal Studies conference: six had been involved with the Program while at Yale and the others had interacted with it.
The potassium channel Kv1.3 as a therapeutic target for immunocytoprotection after reperfusion.

OBJECTIVE The voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.3, which is expressed on activated, disease-associated microglia and memory T cells, constitutes an attractive target for immunocytoprotection after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). Using young male mice and rats we previously demonstrated that the Kv1.3 blocker PAP-1 when started 12 h after reperfusion dose-dependently reduces infarction and improves neurological deficit on day 8. However, these proof-of-concept findings are of limited translational value because the majority of strokes occur in patients over 65 and, when considering overall lifetime risk, in females. Here, we therefore tested whether Kv1.3 deletion or delayed pharmacological therapy would be beneficial in females and aged animals. METHODS Transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO, 60 min) was induced in 16-week-old and 80-week-old male and female wild-type C57BL/6J and Kv1.3-/- mice. Stroke outcomes were assessed daily with the 14-score tactile and proprioceptive limp placing test and on day 8 before sacrifice by T2-weighted MRI. Young and old female mice were treated twice daily with 40 mg/kg PAP-1 starting 12 h after reperfusion. Microglia/macrophage activation and T-cell infiltration were evaluated in whole slide scans. RESULTS Kv1.3 deletion provided no significant benefit in young females but improved outcomes in young males, old males, and old females compared with wild-type controls of the same sex. Delayed PAP-1 treatment improved outcomes in both young and old females. In old females, Kv1.3 deletion and PAP-1 treatment significantly reduced Iba-1 and CD3 staining intensity in the ipsilateral hemisphere. INTERPRETATION Our preclinical studies using aged and female mice further validate Kv1.3 inhibitors as potential adjunctive treatments for reperfusion therapy in stroke by providing both genetic and pharmacological verification.
Chemo-denervation of Oromandibular Dystonia with Botulinum toxins: Five-year experience (2794)

Objective: To review experience of Botulinum Toxin (BoNT) injections for Oromandibular Dystonia (OMD). Background: OMD causes sustained or repetitive, forceful contractions of the muscles involving jaw and tongue causing jaw opening, jaw closing, lingual and mixed dystonias. When oral pharmacologic agents are inadequate, BoNT is standard of care. Design/Methods: A single center, retrospective chart review (July 2013 – June 2018) of BoNT injections for OMD. Wastage was defined as leftover drug from the vial; prepared but not injected. Patient not receiving injections within last 6 months was considered a ‘dropout’. Results: We had 43 patients (21 females), median age 58 years (range 21–88) with 231 encounters (avg. 5.4/patient, range 1–16). Most commonly used toxin was OnabotulinumToxinA (OnaBoNT, 88%), and very few patients with IncobotulinumToxinA (IncoBoNT, n=3) and RimabotulinumToxinB (RimaBoNT, n=2). Jaw closing dystonia was more common (70%, 60% females) then jaw-opening (21%) and lingual dystonia (21%) with overlap. Isolated Lingual dystonia injections were rare (11%), commonly associated with jaw opening (56%); while Jaw opening injections were never solitary. Isolated Jaw closing injections were also uncommon (23%) and frequently associated with cervical (40%) and facial (40%) injections. Average total dose (in Units, with range) of OnaBoNT was 66 (10–180) for Jaw closing; 54 (30–100) for Jaw opening and 16 (5–30) for Lingual dystonia. RimaBoNT (1000–2000) and IncoBoNT (45–50) were only used for Jaw closing dystonia. Average wastage of Botox was 25 units/patient. Dropout rate over 5 years was 37% after average 4 sessions (range 1–11). Most common reason was lost to follow up (22%) and deceased (22%), while lack of benefits (17%) and side effects (dysphagia 17% and weakness 11%) were uncommon reasons. Conclusions: In our series, jaw-closing dystonia was the most frequent and most OMD were segmental in nature. Although side effects and lack of benefit are infrequently reported, dropout was common. Disclosure: Dr. Ameer has nothing to disclose. Dr. Syed has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bertoni has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with KYOWA. Dr. Hellman has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Teva Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Torres-Russotto has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bhatti has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Abbvie, Accadia, Merz, Allergan Pakistan, Medtronic, Adamas and Teva Neurosciences.
Factors associated with relapse-free survival after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer at a safety net medical center.

Abstract Background This study was designed to assess prognostic factors associated with relapse-free survival (RFS) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for breast cancer. Methods A single-institution retrospective analysis was performed including clinical, radiographic, and pathologic parameters for all breast cancer patients treated with NAC from 2015 to 2018. All patients had pre-and post-NAC MRI. Results For 102 patients, median follow-up was 47.4 months, and the five-year RFS was 74%. The 41 (40%) patients who achieved pathologic complete response (pCR) after NAC had a significantly higher five-year RFS than the 61 not achieving pCR. For 31 patients with triple-negative cancers, the five-year RFS was significantly higher in those achieving pCR vs. no pCR. The 44 (43%) patients who achieved radiographic complete response (rCR) after NAC had similar five-year RFS to the 58 (57%) not achieving rCR. Conclusion pCR, node-negativity after NAC, and triple-negative subtype were prognostic factors associated with relapse-free survival after NAC.
Broadband detection in K-distributed reverberation

In active sonar, broadband waveforms can improve the signal-to-reverberation power ratio (SRR) by decreasing the size of the resolution cell. Unfortunately, this can adversely affect detection performance by spreading the target across several cells and adversely affect false alarm performance by making the reverberation more severely non-Rayleigh. The performance of a detector that integrates the matched filter intensity is examined as a function of bandwidth. It is observed that performance depends only on the total target energy (E/sub t/), not how it is distributed throughout the processing window. Thus, for this detector, the shape of the target echo is less important than E/sub t/. Given a constant E/sub t/, it was observed that the probability of detection (P/sub d/) increased with bandwidth, but was bounded above by a number less than one. The performance is coarsely quantified by the deflection, which was seen to increase with either bandwidth or E/sub t/ and decrease with the size of the target, the density of reverberation scatterers (e.g., number per meter down-range) and their average power. The deflection is most sensitive to bandwidth when the density of scatterers is high (i.e., the reverberation is nearly Rayleigh). Thus, increasing bandwidth provides the most added value when the reverberation is nearly Rayleigh distributed. As an example, P/sub d/ for a fixed probability of false alarm (P/sub fa/) is examined for a cylindrical target shape and compared to that of a detector that takes the maximum value over the processing window. The detection performance comparison showed that the maximum value detector outperforms the summation detector when the target echo is essentially a single highlight, but can perform significantly worse when the target echo energy is spread.
The Efficiency of Different Modes of Communication

This article is a supplementary progress report on a study comparing the effect of four different modes of communication upon the relative learning of relevant and irrelevant information. It proposes that the television and film instructional situations are more efficient than the ordinary classroom instruction because they screen out more irrelevant material. The study was supported by an NDEA, Title VII grant to the Communications Research Center at Michigan State University, and by the University's Applied Mechanics Department, of which Charles O. Harris is head. Dr. Deutschmann is director of the Center, and Mrs. McMillan is a research assistant there. Dr. Barrow, formerly an assistant professor at the Center, is now a project director for the Bureau of Advertising, ANPA. Professor Ralph L. Vanderslice was responsible for producing the study films.
Mechanical properties and cytotoxicity of a resorbable bioactive implant prepared by rapid prototyping technique.

Bioceramic processing using rapid prototyping technique (RPT) results in a fragile device that requires thermal treatment to improve the mechanical properties. This investigation evaluates the effect of thermal treatment on the mechanical, porosity, and bioactivity properties as well as the cytotoxicity of a porous silica-calcium phosphate nanocomposite (SCPC) implant prepared by RPT. Porous SCPC implant was subject to 3-h treatment at 800°C, 850°C, or 900°C. The compressive strength (s) and modulus of elasticity (E) were doubled when the sintering temperature is raised from 850 to 900°C measuring (s = 15.326 ± 2.95 MPa and E = 1095 ± 164 MPa) after the later treatment. The significant increase in mechanical properties takes place with minimal changes in the surface area and the percentage of pores in the range 1–356 μm. The SCPC implant prepared at 900°C was loaded with rh-BMP-2 and grafted into a segmental defect in the rabbit ulna. Histology analyses showed highly vascularized bone formation inside the defect. Histopathological analyses of the liver, spleen, kidney, heart, and the lung of rabbits grafted with and without SCPC demonstrated healthy tissues with no signs of toxicity or morphology alterations. Results of the study suggest that it is possible to engineering the mechanical properties of the SCPC implant without compromising its bioactivity. The enhanced bone formation inside the porous SCPC facilitated cell-mediated graft resorption and prohibited any accumulation of the material in the body organs. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 101A: 2851-2861, 2013.
A protein-protein interaction is essential for stable complex formation on a 5 S RNA gene.

Abstract Stable complex formation on a Xenopus somatic 5 S RNA gene requires protein-protein interactions between the non-DNA binding domain of transcription factor (TF) IIIA and activities in a TFIIIC fraction. No significant changes in the structure of the TFIIIA.DNA complex can be detected as a consequence of stabilization, indicating that protein confirmation is the primary determinant of stability.
EFFECT OF NISSEN FUNDOPLICATION ON THE LOWER ESOPHAGEAL SPHINCTER PRESSURE OF CHILDREN WITH GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX

Nine children (age range, 5 weeks to 13 years) with gastroesophageal reflux unresponsive to medical management were evaluated with esophageal manometry studies before and after Nissen fundoplications were performed. All patients had a postoperative increase in lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure. The mean preoperative LES pressure was 11.3 mm Hg and the mean postoperative pressure was 22.3 mm Hg. The mean LES pressure increase after surgery was 10.9 mm Hg (range: 5.3 to 22.5 mm Hg). All patients ceased vomiting immediately after surgery and have gained weight at a rate greater than that expected for their age.
West African Dance: Movement and More!

ABSTRACTIn the West, West African dance has grown in popularity and demand over many years. That popularity has extended into the pre-K–12 classroom by supporting, for example, a unit of study focusing on the continent of Africa. I love being a teaching artist because I enjoy sharing my love of West African dance with students in pre-K–12 in a variety of school settings throughout New York City. When I teach West African dance, I not only teach the movement, but also the music and musical instruments that accompany the dance, textiles and the regalia worn by people doing the dance, language, geography, and more. I believe that when students and teachers are able to see, touch, and experience music, art, and movement that might be foreign to them, they have the opportunity to learn and expand their thinking to embrace cultures that are different from their own.
Alcohol sensitivity and dependence

The relationship between the intensity of response to alcohol and the future development of alcohol abuse or dependence was evaluated in 454 18- to 25-year-old drinking but not alcohol dependent subjects. This sample consisted of sons of alcohol dependent fathers and family history negative controls matched on demography as well as alcohol and substance use histories. In response to an alcohol challenge at approximately age 20, 40% of the sons of alcoholics but less than 10% of the controls demonstrated less alcohol-related changes in subjective feelings, physiological measures, and motor performance. An average of 9.3 years later, a successful follow-up of 100% of the first 223 individuals revealed that the diminished response to alcohol was a potent predictor of future alcohol abuse or dependence. Neither the family history of alcoholism nor the intensity of response to alcohol at age 20 predicted drug dependence or major psychiatric disorders during the follow-up period.
A COBE Model of the Galactic Bar and Disk

A model of the bar and old stellar disk of the Galaxy has been derived from the survey of the Diffuse Infrared Background Experiment (DIRBE) of the Cosmic Background Explorer at wavelengths of 1.25, 2.2, 3.5, and 4.9 μm. It agrees very well with the data, except in directions in which the near-infrared optical depth is high. Among the conclusions drawn from the model is that the Sun is located approximately 16.5 pc above the midpoint of the Galactic plane. The disk has an outer edge 4 kpc from the Sun and is warped like the H I layer. It has a central hole roughly the diameter of the inner edge of the 3 kpc molecular cloud ring, and within that hole lies a bright, strong, early-type bar, tilted approximately 14° from the Sun-Galactic center line. The model has 47 free parameters. The model is discussed in detail, and contour plots and images of the residuals are presented.
Meeting patients' education and decision-making needs for first trimester prenatal aneuploidy screening.

Objective First trimester aneuploidy screening introduces unique challenges to patient education and informed decision-making. Our study assessed the decision-making process among those pregnant patients presenting for this new form of aneuploidy screening. Method A survey instrument was used to assess components of decision-making among women who presented for first trimester aneuploidy screening. Knowledge and leading factors in the decision-making process were measured. Results Participants (n = 139) demonstrated understanding of the etiology of Down syndrome, but less understanding of its cognitive (65.2%) and physical manifestations (58.7%). Few were able to determine risk from first trimester screen results (36.7%). Participants were more familiar with amniocentesis (84.2%) than chorionic villus sampling (73.4%), though less familiar with procedural risks (29.5% and 28.1%, respectively). The majority of participants ranked the following as key information in their decision: knowledge of their intentions about the outcome of the pregnancy based on the test results (92.4%), knowledge of chorionic villus sampling to evaluate an abnormal result (92.0%), and values and beliefs about termination (89.1%). Conclusion First trimester aneuploidy screening generates education and decision-making benchmarks for patients and providers. It is important to address these barriers as this new screen becomes a growing part of current prenatal genetic testing offerings. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Repair of mitochondrial DNA damage induced by bleomycin in human cells.

Abstract Damage to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has recently been associated with a variety of human diseases including cancer, diabetes mellitus, and aging. The mechanisms by which the mitochondria respond to DNA damage are of prime importance in understanding how damage can persist and cause disease. Here we demonstrate the repair of mitochondrial DNA damage induced by the naturally occurring, radiomimetic drug bleomycin. WI-38 cells were first permeabilized using 20 μg/ml lysophosphatidylcholine in order to increase the intracellular concentration of bleomycin. Dose response studies with the permeabilized cells showed that a concentration of 5 μg/ml bleomycin given for 30 min caused sufficient DNA damage for repair studies. Following treatment with this concentration of bleomycin, repair of mtDNA damage was found to be about 80% by 2 h. However, after 4 h no additional repair was observed. The results indicate that there is an efficient DNA repair system in human mitochondria for some types of damage caused by bleomycin. However, there is a component of damage caused by this agent that either is not repaired or is removed at a much slower rate.
Melatonin attenuates the sympathetic nerve responses to orthostatic stress in humans

Previous studies have suggested that melatonin alters sympathetic outflow in humans. The purpose of the present study was to determine in humans the effect of melatonin on sympathetic nerve activity and arterial blood pressure during orthostatic stress. Fifty minutes after receiving a 3 mg tablet of melatonin or placebo (different days), muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), arterial blood pressure, heart rate, forearm blood flow and thoracic impedance were measured for 10 min at rest and during 5 min of lower body negative pressure (LBNP) at -10 and -40 mmHg (n = 11). During LBNP, MSNA responses were attenuated after melatonin at both -10 and -40 mmHg (P < 0.03). Specifically, during the placebo trial, MSNA increased by 33 +/- 8 and 251 +/- 70% during -10 and -40 mmHg, respectively, but increased by only 8 +/- 7 and 111 +/- 35% during -10 and -40 mmHg with melatonin, respectively. However, arterial blood pressure and forearm vascular resistance responses were unchanged by melatonin during LBNP. MSNA responses were not affected by melatonin during an isometric handgrip test (30% maximum voluntary contraction) and a cold pressor test. Plasma melatonin concentration was measured at 25 min intervals for 125 min in six subjects. Melatonin concentration was 14 +/- 11 pg ml(-1) before ingestion and was significantly increased at each time point (peaking at 75 min; 1830 +/- 848 pg ml(-1)). These findings indicate that in humans, a high concentration of melatonin can attenuate the reflex sympathetic increases that occur in response to orthostatic stress. These alterations appear to be mediated by melatonin-induced changes to the baroreflexes.
CONFUCIANISM, PRAGMATISM, AND SOCIALLY BENEFICIAL PHILOSOPHY

The world is currently full of a disturbing number of serious and urgent problems that threaten to end the flourishing of our societies. In order for humanity to avoid such an end, we must have a way of thinking and being in the world that allows us to solve these problems, not merely as a matter of theory,but as a matter of action.This means that we would do well to develop forms of philosophy that lead not only to inquiry about these important matters, but to active solutions as well. This article will be an attempt to construct what I believe is one such method of philosophical practice, through a constructive engagement with Confucianism and pragmatism. This will involve a comparison that examines the similarities between Confucianism and pragmatism in regard to the ideas of knowledge, philosophy, religion, and education.This examination of similarities focuses on practicality, the experiential basis and focus of knowledge and philosophy,and the idea of philosophy as an individually transforming human practice. This article will also contrast these similar Confucian and Pragmatic ideas with several ideas prevalent in Western thought and culture in an attempt to construct a new philosophical methodology which aims to improve the state of the global community,as well as the life of the individual. 1 The cultures and eras in which Confucianism and pragmatism gestated and thrived were very different. Pragmatism was developed by Americans such as Charles Sanders Peirce, 2 William James, and John Dewey in the early twentieth century as a corrective to the Western Enlightenment tradition and its practice of philosophy that largely ignored the problems of the people of the newly industrialized world. Confucianism began to be developed in China in the fifth century BCE as a corrective to the social degradation of the Spring and Autumn period of Zhou Dynasty China.What connects them, therefore, is not cultural or temporal, but ideological. The problematic addressed by both schools,as well as the solutions offered,are similar. As David Hall states in his article “Modern China and the Postmod
Alkane Metathesis by Tandem Alkane-Dehydrogenation–Olefin-Metathesis Catalysis and Related Chemistry

Methods for the conversion of both renewable and non-petroleum fossil carbon sources to transportation fuels that are both efficient and economically viable could greatly enhance global security and prosperity. Currently, the major route to convert natural gas and coal to liquids is Fischer–Tropsch catalysis, which is potentially applicable to any source of synthesis gas including biomass and nonconventional fossil carbon sources. The major desired products of Fischer–Tropsch catalysis are n-alkanes that contain 9–19 carbons; they comprise a clean-burning and high combustion quality diesel, jet, and marine fuel. However, Fischer–Tropsch catalysis also results in significant yields of the much less valuable C3 to C8n-alkanes; these are also present in large quantities in oil and gas reserves (natural gas liquids) and can be produced from the direct reduction of carbohydrates. Therefore, methods that could disproportionate medium-weight (C3–C8) n-alkanes into heavy and light n-alkanes offer great potential ...
Eigenvector Status Proxies in Markov Chain Mobility Models

In Markov chain studies of occupational mobility, an interesting empirical pattern has been reported. Certain transrtion matrix eigenvectors provide surprisingly accurate proxies for occupational status. Through a number of formal illustra tions, this paper suggests why the pattern might in theory be expected, in the occupational mobility context and in other mobility contexts.
On the original distribution of the asteriods. I.

Abstract The depletion of an initially uniform distribution of asteroids extending form Mars to Saturn, caused by the gravitational perturbations of Jupiter and Saturn, is calculated by numerical integration of the asteroid orbits. Almost all (about 85%) the asteroids between Jupiter and Saturn are ejected in the first 6000 years Most of the asteroids between the 2 3 Jupiter resonance (4.0 A.U.) and Jupiter are ejected in the first 2400 years with the exception of the stable librators (e.g., the Hilda group). Interior to the 2 3 resonance the depletion was small, and interior to the 1 2 resonance (3.3 A.U.) no asteroids were ejected in the first 2400 years.
Rapid-scanning interferometer for ultrafast pump–probe spectroscopy with phase-sensitive detection

We describe a rapid-scanning modified Mach–Zehnder interferometer suitable for use in femtosecond pump–probe or dichroism spectroscopy with self-mode-locked titanium–sapphire oscillators. A galvanometer-type rapid-scanning translation stage is employed in the pump arm of the interferometer. The intensity or polarization of the pump beam is modulated by a fused-silica photoelastic modulator employed as a half-wave retarder. The detection system exploits the rapid-scanning stage and photoelastic modulator by combining phase-sensitive detection with transient digitization. The system we describe permits pump–probe or dichroism spectroscopy to be conducted without temporal distortion of the laser pulses used in the experiment, with high scan-to-scan reproducibility, and with all of the previously noted advantages of rapid-scanning methods in terms of sensitivity. The approach is especially well suited for use with pulse-picked or cavity-dumped sources, which are often required to be operated at moderate pulse...
The relationship of mental illness to targeted contact behavior toward state government agencies and officials

Research in the burgeoning field of threat assessment has illuminated the importance of mental illness factors when considering risk of targeted violence—particularly related to government agencies and officials. The authors analyzed 127 cases investigated by a state law enforcement agency regarding threatening or other contacts toward public officials or state agency employees prompting security intervention. Univariate and discriminant analysis indicated that mentally ill subjects were significantly more likely to engage in more contacts as well as to make specific demands during such contacts. Mentally ill subjects were also more likely to articulate help-seeking concerns and employ religious themes, as opposed to using insulting, degrading, or ominous language toward the target or issuing complaints regarding policy issues. Contrary to other research, the mentally ill subjects within this sample were not significantly more likely to engage in approach behavior, a threshold for higher risk of violence. Implications for threat assessment activity are discussed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Slow Wave Resonance in Photonic Crystals

Light incident on periodic structure can be converted into frozen mode with drastically enhanced amplitude and vanishing group velocity. In bounded photonic crystals, the frozen mode can give rise to a giant slow wave resonance.
The effect of body condition of horses on discrimination learning abilities

Abstract Discriminative learning abilities were studied in 12 mature, malnourished horses. All horses initially received a condition score (CS) between 2 and 4 on a scale of 1 (poor) to 9 (extremely fat). Then horses were assigned to one of 3 treatments based on their eventual, rehabilitated CS during discrimination testing: thin, CS 1–3; moderate, CS 4–6; and fat, CS 7–9. The discrimination learning task was performed for 14 days with a maximum of 20 trials per day. Daily criterion was set at eight consecutively correct trails. Total trials to first criteria and total errors during testing were recorded. Analysis of variance showed that treatments did not differ ( P >0.05) in total trials to first criterion, however horses on the fat treatment did have higher total error scores ( P
Human language and computers

Communicating with computers by some means of human or natural language has long been a goal of their users. The very terms "computer language, programming language" illustrate the aim to construct more flexible and more powerful means of communication than is suggested by the simple term "program"' And the development of computer languages like Lisp illustrates steps toward a goal approximating the communication medium for human beings. Yet natural language provides much of its power and flexibility through characteristics which have not been incorporated into computer languages, and may be incorporated only through great ingenuity. For a device lacking the capabilities of the human brain, the properties of human or natural language which provide that power and flexibility will have to be developed by specialists in computing. As has already been learned over two decades of struggle by linguists, humanists, and others who have slowly sought to process natural language as well as, quickly, and in as large quantities as could be done for numbers, the ambiguities of human speech create problems and challenges. In the suc
Li+ Promotion of Pd/SiO2: The Effect on Hydrogenation, Hydrogenolysis, and Methanol Synthesis

Abstract A novel but fairly simple approach has been used to elucidate the effect of Li+ promotion of 5 wt% Pd/SiO2 [(Li/Pd)atomic = 0, 1, 2, 4] by using a set of three distinct reactions (CO hydrogenation, isobutylene hydrogenation, and ethane hydrogenolysis) in addition to H2 TPD, CO chemisorption, XRD, and TEM. The results were used to indicate the degree of metal surface blockage by the promoter and to better understand how Li+ goes about affecting Pd catalysis, especially CO hydrogenation which is known to be greatly modified. Li+ promotion decreased the strength of H2 adsorption and enhanced CO adsorption on Pd/SiO2. Additionally, it significantly decreased the hydrogenation (in the presence of CO) and ethane hydrogenolysis activities of Pd/SiO2 relative to those of the unpromoted catalyst, with the activities decreasing monotonically with increasing Li+ loading. Isobutylene hydrogenation results suggest Li+ blockage of some of the active Pd sites. Steady-state isotopic transient kinetic analysis (SSITKA) of isobutylene hydrogenation in the presence of CO indicates that surface coverage by CO was significantly enhanced by Li+ promotion. The simultaneous enhancement and suppression of CO and H2 adsorption, respectively, coupled with active site blockage by Li+ resulted in olefin hydrogenation appearing to behave like a structure sensitive reaction. Ethane hydrogenolysis results indicate a nonuniform distribution of the promoter on Pd as well as its probable dispersion on the surface of the support as well. Despite the fact that site blockage resulted in a decrease in the hydrogenation and ethane hydrogenolysis activities of Li-Pd/SiO2 (Li/Pd = 1), an increase in the rate of methanol formation was observed. This increase in the methanol formation rate with low levels of Li+ promotion can be attributed to an increase in the number of active sites or in the coverage of the active sites by the surface intermediates since TEM indicated no change in Pd particle size distribution. Higher loadings of Li+ (Li/Pd ≥ 2) resulted in a decrease in methanol formation.
Association Between Lower Lobe Location and Upstaging for Early-Stage Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Study objective To identify factors associated with a misclassification of the true disease stage by comparing the differences between the clinical and pathologic stage of patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Design A prospective cohort study. Setting A multidisciplinary thoracic oncology clinic at a university-affiliated Veterans Affairs medical center. Patient population One hundred nine male veterans with clinical stage I/II NSCLC who had undergone thoracotomy with systematic lymph node dissection. Methods Prospective data were collected on all patients between September 1997 and April 2002. Logistic regression analysis was used to establish the odds ratio (OR) for predictors of changes in stage. Results A stage misclassification was found in 35.8% of patients (39 of 109 patients) after thoracotomy with lymph node dissection, and all but one patient were upstaged. Unsuspected nodal involvement (N stage) resulted in the upstaging of 16.5% of the patients, a change in tumor stage (T stage) resulted in the upstaging of 13.8% of the patients, a change in both stages resulted in the upstaging of 2.7% of patients, and the designation of metastatic disease resulted in the upstaging of 1.9% of the patients. The rate of unsuspected mediastinal lymph node involvement (pathologic stage N2) was 8.3% (9 of 109 patients), despite negative mediastinoscopy findings. Complete anatomic resection was performed in all patients. Advanced disease was found in 8.3% of the patients (9 of 109 patients) [stage IIIB or IV]. Having the primary tumor in a lower lobe location was the only statistically significant factor associated with upstaging (OR, 3.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.4 to 9.1). The effect of location was robust after controlling for tumor size and the prior performance of mediastinoscopy. Patient age, smoking history, weight loss, tumor size, and tumor histology were all found not to be associated with upstaging. Conclusion A lower lobe tumor location in patients with early-stage NSCLC appears to be associated with upstaging after surgery. We conclude that a tumor location in a lower lobe deserves special attention.
General circulation model simulations of recent cooling in the east‐central United States

[1] In ensembles of retrospective general circulation model (GCM) simulations, surface temperatures in the east-central United States cool between 1951 and 1997. This cooling, which is broadly consistent with observed surface temperatures, is present in GCM experiments driven by observed time varying sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) in the tropical Pacific, whether or not increasing greenhouse gases and other time varying climate forcings are included. Here we focus on ensembles with fixed radiative forcing and with observed varying SST in different regions. In these experiments the trend and variability in east-central U.S. surface temperatures are tied to tropical Pacific SSTs. Warm tropical Pacific SSTs cool U.S. temperatures by diminishing solar heating through an increase in cloud cover. These associations are embedded within a year-round response to warm tropical Pacific SST that features tropospheric warming throughout the tropics and regions of tropospheric cooling in midlatitudes. Precipitable water vapor over the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean and the tropospheric thermal gradient across the Gulf Coast of the United States increase when the tropical Pacific is warm. In observations, recent warming in the tropical Pacific is also associated with increased precipitable water over the southeast United States. The observed cooling in the east-central United States, relative to the rest of the globe, is accompanied by increased cloud cover, though year-to-year variations in cloud cover, U.S. surface temperatures, and tropical Pacific SST are less tightly coupled in observations than in the GCM.
Kallistatin treatment attenuates lethality and organ injury in mouse models of established sepsis

Kallistatin levels in the circulation are reduced in patients with sepsis and liver disease. Transgenic mice expressing kallistatin are resistant to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mortality. Here, we investigated the effect of kallistatin on survival and organ damage in mouse models of established sepsis. Mice were rendered septic by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), or endotoxemic by LPS injection. Recombinant human kallistatin was administered intravenously six hours after CLP, or intraperitoneally four hours after LPS challenge. The effect of kallistatin treatment on organ damage was examined one day after sepsis initiation, and mouse survival was monitored for four to six days. Human kallistatin was detected in mouse serum of kallistatin-treated mice. Kallistatin significantly reduced CLP-induced renal injury as well as blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) levels. In the lung, kallistatin decreased malondialdehyde levels and HMGB1 and toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) synthesis, but increased suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 (SOCS3) expression. Moreover, kallistatin attenuated liver injury, serum alanine transaminase (ALT) levels and hepatic tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) synthesis. Furthermore, delayed kallistatin administration improved survival in CLP mice by 38%, and LPS-treated mice by 42%. In LPS-induced endotoxemic mice, kallistatin attenuated kidney damage in association with reduced serum creatinine, IL-6 and HMGB1 levels, and increased renal SOCS3 expression. Kallistatin also decreased liver injury in conjunction with diminished serum ALT levels and hepatic TNF-α and TLR4 expression. In cultured macrophages, kallistatin through its active site increased SOCS3 expression, but this effect was blocked by inhibitors of tyrosine kinase, protein kinase C and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), indicating that kallistatin stimulates a tyrosine-kinase-protein kinase C-ERK signaling pathway. This is the first study to demonstrate that delayed human kallistatin administration is effective in attenuating multi-organ injury, inflammation and mortality in mouse models of polymicrobial infection and endotoxemia. Thus, kallistatin therapy may provide a promising approach for the treatment of sepsis in humans.
The Reliability of Inverse Scree Tests for Cluster Analysis

This paper presents a Monte Carlo study which explores the reliability of the inverse scree test for cluster analysis. Two sets of distributions were generated, and 6000 "computer subjects" were cluster analyzed and graphed. Three raters were then asked to detect the critical point at which the inverse scree line showed a marked break. Results indicated that the inverse scree may be a useful and reliable cluster analytic technique for determining the number of true groups.
Nonanticipative transformations of the two-parameter Wiener process and a Girsanov theorem

Abstract Nonanticipative linear transformations of the two-parameter Wiener process W are studied. It is shown that they induce measures equivalent to two-parameter Wiener measure and the corresponding Radon-Nikodym derivatives are calculated. A two-parameter extension of Girsanov's theorem is established for a class of nonanticipative, possibly nonlinear transformations of W .
Longitudinal and transverse dielectric functions of a two-dimensional electron system: Inclusion of exchange correlations

The calculation of the longitudinal dielectric function for a two-dimensional electron system is of importance in discussing the properties of electrons in semiconductor-insulator sandwiches and those confined to the surface of liquid helium. We present here a calculation of this function when exchange processes are included. A variational solution to the vertex equation is used to solve the integral equation. We also compute the plasmon dispersion and the static dielectric function in powers of the wave vector, by solving the appropriate vertex equation exactly in these limits. The latter is important in a theory of gradient expansion for the inhomogeneous counterpart of this two-dimensional system. This may be used in the calculation of the band structure of such systems. We also calculate the transverse dielectric function in the same scheme. From these two, we deduce the orbital susceptibility of the system. As in three dimensions, we find that screening of the electron interactions is essential to give finite values for the orbital susceptibility and the coefficient of the gradient expansion term in the theory of inhomogeneous systems.
GAY FATHERS’ NEGOTIATION OF GENDER ROLE STRAIN: A QUALITATIVE INQUIRY

Gay fathers pose an ideological conundrum. Products of a dominant culture that deems “gay” and “father” as incompatible, they are subject to gender role strain. This phenomenological qualitative study explored 12 gay fathers’ perceptions of their gender roles around parenting. Participants discussed their decision to become parents, discipline and parenting roles, perceived views of others about their choice, and their fears and joys about raising children. Results indicated that gay fathers respond to gender role strain in ways that both contest and utilize traditional gender role expectations.
La2−xBaxSr1−xYxCu2O6 and M1.9Sr1.1Cu2O6(M = PrandNd); new layered copper-oxides with the La2SrCu2O6 structure

Abstract La 2− x Ba x Sr 1− x Y x Cu 2 O 6 (0≤ x ≤0.5) solid solutions, M 1.9 Sr 1.1 Cu 2 O 6 ( M = La , Pr , Nd ) and other substituted La-Ba-Sr-Y-Cu-O compounds of the La 2 SrCu 2 O 6 structure have been prepared and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, electrical resistivity and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The changes in physical properties upon either substitution or oxygen annealing of various samples are presented. Possible reasons for the absence of superconductivity in these compounds which possess a structure closely related to many known high- T c materials are discussed.
2,3,7,8-TCDD - Biochemical effects

Abstract The biochemical effects of 2,3,7,8-TCDD and related compounds are briefly discussed and possible relationships between these activities and toxicity are noted.
Topical lidocaine patch relieves postherpetic neuralgia more effectively than a vehicle topical patch: results of an enriched enrollment study

This study compared the efficacy of topical lidocaine patches versus vehicle (placebo) patches applied directly to the painful skin of subjects with postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) utilizing an 'enriched enrollment' study design. All subjects had been successfully treated with topical lidocaine patches on a regular basis for at least 1 month prior to study enrollment. Subjects were enrolled in a randomized, two-treatment period, vehicle-controlled, cross-over study. The primary efficacy variable was 'time to exit'; subjects were allowed to exit either treatment period if their pain relief score decreased by 2 or more categories on a 6-item Pain Relief Scale for any 2 consecutive days. The median time to exit with the lidocaine patch phase was greater than 14 days, whereas the vehicle patch exit time was 3.8 days (P < 0.001). At study completion, 25/32 (78.1%) of subjects preferred the lidocaine patch treatment phase as compared with 3/32 (9.4%) the placebo patch phase (P < 0.001). No statistical difference was noted between the active and placebo treatments with regards to side effects. Thus, topical lidocaine patch provides significantly more pain relief for PHN than does a vehicle patch. Topical lidocaine patch is a novel therapy for PHN that is effective, does not cause systemic side effects, and is simple to use.
Species specificity in response to tryptophan modified encephalitogen.

Abstract Diversity in response to a modified basic encephaltiogenic myelin protein between species has been demonstrated. The encephalitogen was modified with reagents speccific to tryptophan: 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl bromide (HNBBr), nitrophenylsulfenyl chloride (NPSCl), oxidationn by performic acid and treatment with formic acid saturated with HCl gas. The modified proteins were found to be non encephalitogenic in guinea pig. These experiments combined with other investigators' findings suggest that tryptophan is an essential amino acid for the encephalitogenic activity when guinea pig is used as test animal. This, however, does not necessarily apply to other species. The three preparations, HNB, NPS and formylated proteins, were fully active in rabbit. Furthermore, the HNB modified protein and the peptide of 45 amino acid residue which has no tryptophan were active also in monkey. The foregoing evidence suggests that the basic myelin protein contains more than one encephalitogenic site; therefore, in determining the activity stress should be laid on the recipient. Some species may recognize a second active peptide, which contains no tryptophan. The conclusion reached is that the recognition of particular encephalitogenic sequence depends on the animal used for the test.
Targeting Mycobacterial Proteolytic Complexes with Natural Products

Controlled proteolysis is key to bacterial viability. In this issue of Chemistry & Biology, Gavrish and colleagues characterize a natural product, lassomycin, targeting the Mycobacterium tuberculosis caseinolytic (Clp) protease. Unusually, lassomycin activates ClpC1, inducing ATPase activity and decoupling it from proteolysis.