cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetic determinants for agronomic and yield-related traits localized on a GBS-SNP linkage map from a japonica x indica cross in rice

Abstract Rice is an important cereal for human consumption. Identification of QTLs for important agronomic traits with high resolution is essential to the identification of genes and marker-assisted breeding to improve rice productivity. A genotyping by sequencing (GBS)-based high-resolution SNP linkage developed in a recombinant inbred lines (RIL) population of a japonica (Bengal) × indica (Pokkali) cross was used for QTL analysis of traits such as days to heading, plant height, panicle length, flag leaf length, 1000 kernel weight, number of unfilled grains, number of filled grains, grain width, grain length, and awns using interval mapping and inclusive composite interval mapping approaches. Among the 102 additive QTLs identified for the ten traits, 23 QTLs were major effect QTLs. A chromosomal region flanking the sd-1 gene colocalized the QTLs for plant height, panicle length, and flag leaf length, suggesting possible pleiotropic effects on the expression of these traits. Our study not only reduced confidence intervals of previously identified QTLs but also validated several known genes for heading date (Hd1), panicle length (APO1), grain width (GW2, GW5) and awn length (An-1). Furthermore, candidate genes for several agronomic traits were identified. Annotations of genes within novel QTLs for yield-related traits revealed that RCN4 (LOC_Os06g45460), expansin precursor (LOC_Os02g51040), and RGB1 (LOC_Os03g46650) are promising candidates for yield enhancement. Our study provided genetic insights into the important agronomic and yield enhancing traits through identification of QTLs and candidate genes for future validation and molecular breeding to improve rice yield potential.
Ovariectomized mice and postmenopausal women exhibit analogous loss of genital epithelial integrity.

Roughly half of all postmenopausal women are affected by the genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). Symptoms of GSM, including vaginal irritation and dyspareunia, occur as reduced estrogen (E) ...
Nondissipative non-Hermitian dynamics and exceptional points in coupled optical parametric oscillators

Engineered non-Hermitian systems featuring exceptional points (EPs) can lead to a host of extraordinary phenomena in diverse fields ranging from photonics, acoustics, opto-mechanics, and electronics to atomic physics. In optics, non-Hermitian dynamics are typically realized using dissipation and phase-insensitive gain accompanied by unavoidable fluctuations. Here, we introduce non-Hermitian dynamics of coupled optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) arising from phase-sensitive amplification and de-amplification, and show their distinct advantages over conventional non-Hermitian systems relying on laser gain and loss. OPO-based non-Hermitian systems can benefit from the instantaneous nature of the parametric gain, noiseless phase-sensitive amplification, and rich quantum and classical nonlinear dynamics. We show that two coupled OPOs can exhibit spectral anti-parity-time (anti-PT) symmetry and a EP between its degenerate and nondegenerate operation regimes. To demonstrate the distinct potentials of the coupled OPO system compared to conventional non-Hermitian systems, we present higher-order EPs with two OPOs, tunable Floquet EPs in a reconfigurable dynamic non-Hermitian system, and the generation of a squeezed vacuum around EPs, all of which are not easy to realize in other non-Hermitian platforms. We believe our results show that coupled OPOs are an outstanding non-Hermitian setting with unprecedented opportunities to realize nonlinear dynamical systems for enhanced sensing and quantum information processing.
Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma in Patients 80 Years and Older: Worse Survival After Treatment Without Increased Relapse Rates.

Abstract Background: Age is an adverse prognostic factor in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), but there are limited data on the outcomes of patients' ≥80 years, including those treated with dose reduced chemoimmunotherapy. Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 542 patients, 85 (16%) were ≥80 years of age. Results: Although the very elderly group had more frequent comorbidities and decreased performance status, 89% received therapy. Four-year PFS was 42% vs. 61% (P Conclusion: Very elderly DLBCL patients have worse OS and PFS compared with younger patients but can achieve long term disease control and potentially be cured with chemoimmunotherapy. Older DLBCL patients treated with effective regimens do not have increased rates of relapse, but outcomes after relapse remain poor.
Associations between Parenting Qualities, Neighborhood Disadvantage, and Future Orientations among Urban Adolescents

Positive orientations toward the future have been shown to promote youth wellbeing, especially for those living in poor and urban neighborhoods. However, the family and neighborhood factors that contribute to future orientations during adolescence are poorly understood. Drawing on data from 1165 urban adolescents (M = 15.22, SD = 1.58 years old) who participated in the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN), this study uses multilevel modeling to (1) examine parenting qualities (parent involvement, parent–adolescent relationship quality) and neighborhood disadvantage in relation to youth future orientations; (2) test whether these associations differ for mothers and fathers, and sons and daughters; and (3) test whether parenting qualities are protective for future orientations among youth in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The findings were generally consistent with hypotheses in that mothers’ and fathers’ parenting were related to higher levels of future orientations, and neighborhood concentrated poverty was related to lower future orientations. Parental involvement benefited girls’ future orientations whereas relationship quality was more salient for boys. Parenting involvement and relationship quality moderated associations between neighborhood disadvantage and future orientations in somewhat different directions. Discussion centers on the implications of family and neighborhood contexts for future orientations of urban youth and directs attention to nuances in parenting dimensions and their significance for boys and girls.
Gravity, with a twist

Albert Einstein once proposed that space-time was more twisted than even he had supposed. This long-forgotten idea might just solve today's crisis in cosmology, says Paul M. Sutter
The Prosecution of Bruno Richard Hauptmann: An Imitation of Falconry

The trial of Bruno Hauptmann is critiqued in terms of the overriding prosecutorial interest in securing the death penalty. The intricate and ingenious methods by which the prosecution blended the law of New Jersey and the common law and the trial testimony of numerous witnesses, both scientific and lay persons, to achieve its objective are explicated. The author mentions other alternatives to those employed as well as the strategies of prosecution and defense at the trial.
The spin trap α-(4-pyridyl-1-oxide)-N-tert-butylnitrone stimulates peroxidase-mediated oxidation of deferoxamine. Implications for pharmacological use of spin-trapping agents

The iron chelator deferoxamine (Desferal; DSFL) reacts with peroxidases and H2O2 to form the DSFL radical (DSFL.), which can be detected by EPR spectroscopy. We have found that DSFL. formation resulting from exposure to H2O2 and any of a number of different peroxidases is greatly enhanced in the presence of the nitrone spin trap alpha-(4-pyridyl-1-oxide)-N-tert-butylnitrone (4-POBN). This enhancement was seen at 4-POBN concentrations as low as 200 microM. We observed a modest enhancement of DSFL. formation with 2-methyl-2-nitrosopropane. However, no enhancement was seen with 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline 1-oxide (DMPO) or phenyl-tert-butylnitrone. A modest enhancement was also seen with the nitrone compound pyridine N-oxide. 2-Methyl-2-nitrosopropane and pyridine N-oxide were additionally capable of increasing enzymatic peroxidase activity as measured by o-dianisidine and/or tetramethylbenzidine oxidation. Furthermore, at high concentrations of 4-POBN (50 mM) in the absence of DSFL, we detected a peroxidase/H2O2-dependent 12-line EPR spectrum that likely represents a 4-POBN/.4-POBN nitrogen-centered spin adduct. In the presence of both 4-POBN (10 mM) and DMPO (100 mM), an 18-line EPR spectrum was observed consistent with formation of a DMPO/.4-POBN nitrogen-centered spin adduct. Thus, the nitrone spin trap 4-POBN can enhance the peroxidase-mediated formation of DSFL., possibly via the formation of a transient 4-POBN radical species. These data suggest the importance of assessing the potential for nitrone spin traps to both inhibit and enhance biological oxidation prior to their use as potential pharmacological agents.
Die Welt der Mikroben

Vor der Entdeckung von Mikroorganismen glaubte man, alle Lebewesen entweder als Pflanzen oder Tiere einordnen zu konnen. Die Existenz von Ubergangsformen wurde verneint. Wahrend des 19. Jahrhunderts stellte sich dann heraus, das die Mikroorganismen in sich sowohl die Eigenschaften von Pflanzen als auch von Tieren in den verschiedensten Kombinationen vereinigen. Heute wird allgemein anerkannt, das die Mikroorganismen sich mit verhaltnismasig geringen Veranderungen aus gemeinsamen Vorstufen von Pflanzen und Tieren entwickelt haben.
Re-Examining the Cost-of-Living Index and the Biases of Price Indices

The U.S. CPI is based on the Laspeyres price index, an index type that has an upward "substitution bias." Thus, the CPI tends to overstate increases in the cost of living. To address this bias, the Advisory Commission to Study the Consumer Price Index recommended adopting for the CPI a "superlative" price index, e.g., the Fisher or Tornqvist indices. Under the assumption of homothetic preferences, superlative indices always have smaller substitution biases--hence, are closer to the "true" cost-of-living index (COLI)--than the Laspeyres index, but this assumption implies that: all income elasticities equal 1, the true COLI is independent of the utility level (standard of living), and expenditure shares are unaffected by changes in income. These implications are contradicted, however, by all known household budget studies. Therefore, superlative indices are not necessarily closer to the true COLI than the Laspeyres index except in the unrealistic case of homothetic preferences. Under more realistic non-homothetic preferences, expenditure shares vary with income and, thus, "income bias" is introduced into the superlative indices. This, in turn, could result in biases larger than the Laspeyres substitution bias in the CPI. The Commission did not, however, address this possibility. The Laspeyres index has a larger substitution bias but no income bias because it uses fixed expenditure shares. Under plausible conditions, by using a non-homothetic "almost ideal demand system" (AIDS) model, we carry out empirical simulations that show that the combined substitution and income biases of either the Fisher or the Tornqvist index could be either positive or negative--that is, a superlative index could differ even more from the true COLI than is the case for the present CPI. Thus, income adjustments resulting from a CPI based on a superlative index could exceed those from using the current CPI, when the combined bias is positive, or could fall below those warranted by the true COLI in the case of negative combined bias. Therefore, the Commission's recommendation for a superlative index CPI formula needs further examination. We propose a theoretically rigorous and practical procedure to determine a COLI free from substitution and income bias, using estimated ordinary demand functions without postulating a specific structure of consumer preferences.
STUDIES ON TETANUS TOXIN. II. THE PREPARATION OF PURIFIED TETANUS TOXIN AND ITS FLUORESCENT LABELLING.

Abstract A new method for the preparation of highly purified tetanus by column chromatography is described. The product was characterised by electrophoretic and immunoelectrophoretic techniques. Fluorescent labels were attached to the toxin without altering its electrophoretic properties or toxicity.
Structure of the Bcr-Abl oncoprotein oligomerization domain

The Bcr-Abl oncoprotein is responsible for a wide range of human leukemias, including most cases of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia. Oligomerization of Bcr-Abl is essential for oncogenicity. We determined the crystal structure of the N-terminal oligomerization domain of Bcr-Abl (residues 1-72 or Bcr1-72) and found a novel mode of oligomer formation. Two N-shaped monomers dimerize by swapping N-terminal helices and by forming an antiparallel coiled coil between C-terminal helices. Two dimers then stack onto each other to form a tetramer. The Bcr1-72 structure provides a basis for the design of inhibitors of Bcr-Abl transforming activity by disrupting Bcr-Abl oligomerization.
Introduction to Mutual Funds

This note is an excerpt from Professor Bob Pozen's book "The Mutual Fund Business" and is an introduction to mutual funds, contrasted with commercial banks. Learning Objective: To provide students with an introduction to mutual funds.
Chlorine-Hydrocarbon Photochemistry in the Marine Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere

The role of chlorine atoms in the oxidation of methane and nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) in the marine troposphere and lower stratosphere was investigated using a one-dimensional photochemical model that incorporated the chemistry of CH4, NMHCs, NO(x), O(x), and HO(x), as well as organic and inorganic halogens in the troposphere and lower stratosphere. The model predicted that chlorine atoms are present in the marine troposphere at the concentrations of about 1000/cu cm, mostly as a product of the reaction between OH and HCl released from sea spray. The results indicate that Cl atoms cause 20 to 40 percent of NMHC oxidation in the troposphere and 40 to 90 percent in the lower stratosphere. At 15 km, the NMHC-Cl reactions account for nearly 80 percent of the PAN produced. Where available, experimental data confirmed the model predictions.
Molecular basis of gene-for-gene specificity in bacterial speck disease of tomato

Transient expression of the Pseudomonas syringae avirulence gene avrPto in plant cells resulted in a Pto-dependent necrosis. The AvrPto avirulence protein was observed to interact directly with the Pto resistance protein in the yeast two-hybrid system. Mutations in the Pto and avrPto genes which reduce in vivo activity had parallel effects on association in the two-hybrid assay. These data suggest that during infection the pathogen delivers AvrPto into the plant host cell and that resistance is specified by direct interaction of Pto with AvrPto.
Direct and Indirect Causal Effects via Potential Outcomes

jjThe use of the concept of 'direct' versus 'indirect' causal effects is common, not only in statistics but also in many areas of social and economic sciences. The related terms of 'biomarkers' and 'surrogates' are common in pharmacological and biomedical sciences. Sometimes this concept is represented by graphical displays of various kinds. The view here is that there is a great deal of imprecise discussion surrounding this topic and, moreover, that the most straightforward way to clarify the situation is by using potential outcomes to define causal effects. In particular, I suggest that the use of principal stratification is key to understanding the meaning of direct and indirect causal effects. A current study of anthrax vaccine will be used to illustrate ideas.
The evolution of printers and displays

Printer and display technologies have undergone remarkable changes since the beginning of the computer era. In this paper we trace the evolution of these two types of I/O devices, from the middle of the 1940s to the present, and show how computer system evolution has influenced the designs and technologies of I/O devices.
SPAWNING SOUNDS OF THE DAMSELFISH, DASCYLLUS ALBISELLA (POMACENTRIDAE), AND RELATIONSHIP TO MALE SIZE

ABSTRACT Synchronous audio-video recordings were made of free-living Dascyllus albisella on coral reefs at Johnston Atoll, Central Pacifc Ocean. Males produced distinct and consistent sounds during courtship and mating. The courtship sound is a well-known feature of pomacentrid behavior, and is produced during the signal jump. Male D. albisella also produced a mating sound, which has not been previously described for any other pomacentrid. The mating sound is produced as the male quivers during spawning. The courtship sound differed from the mating sound by having a greater number of pulses (6±4 vs. 3±1, mean ±SD) and a longer duration (262±57 vs. 127±45 msec). The courtship sounds of larger males were lower in frequency than those of smaller males (r2-0.64, power regression). The median dominant frequency of small males (20 to 40 g) was 390 Hz (n=12 males), compared to 334 Hz (n=7 males) for large males (40 to 60 g).
Barriers to vaccination among Japanese medical students: focus group interviews.

Background: To date, medical schools and clinical training hospitals in Japan that require students to show immunity for measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chickenpox), and hepatitis B prior to the commencement of residency are limited. Methods: This qualitative study used focus group interviews to elucidate why medical students do not undergo vaccination. A total of three groups were identified and interviewed: group A (two men, three women), group B (two men, two women), group C (three men, two women). All recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed according to the constant comparative method with a series of codes and categories. Results: Findings elucidated that vaccination for medical students is not mandatory in Japan. Analysis found that the factors that influence willingness to be vaccinated can be divided into three dimensions (individual level, university/regional hospital level, governmental level) and two primary categories (cost of vaccination, awareness of vaccination) consisting of 10 codes. These factors did not exist in isolation, but have mutually overlapping areas. Conclusions: Vaccination against vaccine-preventable diseases is essential to a hospital’s infectious-disease countermeasures and cannot continue to be overlooked by physicians (at the individual level), by universities and residency programs (at the community level) nor by the government (at the national level).
Selective mechanisms in visual perception

The notion of perceptual tuning is investigated by presenting alternatives either before, after, or both before and after a tachistoscopic stimulus. Study 1 (N = 12) showed that identification accuracy is best with alternatives both before and after the stimulus, poorest with alternatives after the stimulus, and intermediate with alternatives only before the stimulus. Study 2 (N = 3) indicated that performance with alternatives both before and after the stimulus varies according to where S is permitted to fixate prior to each exposure. The possibility of a central tuning mechanism was not strongly supported.
Lesser in vitro anaerobic cecal isoflavone disappearance was associated with greater apparent absorption of daidzein and genistein in Golden Syrian hamsters.

Our hypothesis in this study was that in vitro disappearance of isoflavones from fecal or cecal contents of Golden Syrian hamsters paralleled the apparent absorption of these compounds, comparable with previous findings from in vitro human fecal incubations. Two studies were conducted to test this idea: one on in vitro fecal (study 1, n = 20/sex) and the other on in vitro cecal contents (study 2, n = 10/sex) ability to degrade isoflavones. According to HPLC analysis, urinary isoflavone excretion was significantly less by 2–4 fold in males compared with females in both studies. Fecal isoflavone excretion was not significantly different between sexes or isoflavones (study 1) and was genistein). Hamster in vitro cecal isoflavone degradation rate constants seemed to be analogous to human in vitro fecal isoflavone degradation rate constants for genistein and daidzein. The sex difference in isoflavone excretion in hamsters and the instability in glycitein excretion across studies coupled with the paucity of human data on this isoflavone deserve further investigation.
Healing assessment of tile sets for error tolerance in DNA self-assembly

An assessment of the effectiveness of healing for error tolerance in DNA self-assembly tile sets for algorithmic/nano-manufacturing applications is presented. Initially, the conditions for correct binding of a tile to an existing aggregate are analysed using a Markovian approach; based on this analysis, it is proved that correct aggregation (as identified with a so-called ideal tile set) is not always met for the existing tile sets for nano-manufacturing. A metric for assessing tile sets for healing by utilising punctures is proposed. Tile sets are investigated and assessed with respect to features such as error (mismatched tile) movement, punctured area and bond types. Subsequently, it is shown that the proposed metric can comprehensively assess the healing effectiveness of a puncture type for a tile set and its capability to attain error tolerance for the desired pattern. Extensive simulation results are provided.
1992: Parodi, Montefiore, and the First Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Stent Graft in the United States

In 1990 Juan C. Parodi performed the first endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair in Buenos Aires. Two years later, in 1992, Parodi and Claudio Schonholz visited Montefiore Medical Center in New York to perform with us the first endovascular AAA repair to be done in the United States. Since then the Montefiore/Einstein vascular group has performed 1522 endovascular grafts in 674 patients for many types of vascular lesions using a variety of both surgeon-made and industry-made devices. The purpose of the present article is to describe the events that surrounded the performance of the first seminal endovascular AAA repair at our institution on November 23, 1992.
Will sexual risk behaviour increase after being vaccinated for AIDS

The question of whether people will engage in greater levels of HIV-associated risk behaviour after receiving an AIDS vaccine has not been sufficiently investigated. Three objectives were: (1) assess the likelihood that people will engage in greater levels of HIV-risk behaviour after receiving an AIDS vaccine; (2) determine the association of increases with vaccination intent; and (3) identify differences between people who would and would not increase their HIV-risk behaviour after vaccination.A cross-sectional survey was conducted of 278 adults from three populations: gay men, African-American women, and persons who used illicit drugs. Nearly one-quarter of the sample indicated a likelihood that their HIV-risk behaviour would increase after vaccination. This increase was positively associated (r = 0.24) with increased intent to be vaccinated. Previous worry about having HIV (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.4, P = 0.004), being 32 years of age or older (AOR = 2.9, P = 0.0007), and having less than a high school education (AOR = 2.3, P = 0.027) were each associated with a post-vaccination increase in HIV risk. With the seemingly real potential for increased HIV-risk behaviours after being vaccinated against AIDS, intervention studies are warranted to identify strategies with potential to minimize this phenomenon.
Estrogen Replacement Therapy and Risk of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Abstract Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT), in common use among menopausal women, has been inconsistently related to risk of ovarian cancer. Part of the inconsistency may be due to differences in risk according to tumor histology. We therefore compared, within histologic groups, 367 cases of invasive epithelial ovarian cancer to 564 population controls on history of ERT practices. In multivariate logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, parity, oral-contraceptive usage, and other factors, the relative odds of nonmucinous ovarian cancer increased by 5.1% for each year of ERT use [i.e., adjusted odds ratio, 1.051; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01–1.09, as a multiplicative factor for each year of use]. In particular, compared to never use, women who employed ERT for a total of 5 years or longer had a relative odds of 2.03 (95% CI, 1.04–3.97) of having a serous carcinoma and 2.81 (95% CI, 1.15–6.89) of having an endometrioid carcinoma. Mucinous tumors were not associated with use. ERT usage may contribute to the development of nonmucinous types of ovarian cancer, and additional histology-specific analysis of this association in other studies is warranted.
Radical Cystectomy and Orthotopic Urinary Reconstruction in Patients With Bladder Cancer After Renal Transplantation: Clinical Outcomes and Description of Technique

Abstract Objectives Radical cystectomy (RC) with pelvic lymph node dissection and urinary diversion is the standard treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer. In the setting of prior renal transplantation, surgical treatment remains the mainstay but is technically challenging. We report our patient outcomes in this unique population with a description of the technique. Methods We identified five patients with a history of renal transplantation who underwent RC and orthotopic urinary diversion. Preoperative clinical and demographic features were compiled and disease-specific and functional outcomes were assessed. Intraoperative technical challenges and maneuvers for avoiding complications are highlighted. Results Four patients were male and one was female, with a median age of 64 years. Gross hematuria was the most common sign at presentation. Clinical staging was T2, T2 with carcinoma in situ (CIS), high-grade (HG) Ta with CIS, T2 with squamous differentiation, and HG T1, and pathologic tumor stage was pTisN1, pT3N0, pTisN0, pT3N0, and pT0N0, respectively. One patient received a Studer-type diversion and four underwent Hautmann diversion. Median follow-up after cystectomy was 12.9 months. Graft ureteral identification was aided by the use of intravenous dye in all patients. Ipsilateral pelvic lymph node dissection was not possible in any patient. All patients are alive at follow-up, with two experiencing recurrence at 7.2 months and 66.8 months. No patient experienced a significant decrease in estimated creatinine clearance postoperatively. Postoperative daytime control was reported by all patients whereas two noted complete nighttime control. Conclusions RC with orthotopic diversion is a technically demanding procedure in patients with a history renal transplantation. Meticulous technique and careful attention to the altered anatomy are required for successful outcomes.
Similarities between terrorist networks in antiquity and present-day cyberterrorist networks

This paper analyzes the similarities between terrorist networks in Antiquity and cyberterrorist networks today. By establishing comparisons between networks from two classes of terrorists whose actions were recorded 2,000 years apart, this paper adds substance to the understanding of the superiority of networks to archetypical organizational structures (i.e., with a hierarchically-based order). By identifying three major factors, many analogies can be drawn, based on empirical statements found throughout this analysis, between cyberterrorist networks in this day and age and terrorist networks in Antiquity. Those factors are (1) similar patterns of communication, (2) similar connections and kinship webs, and (3) similar obstacles.
An Index of the Condition of Children: The Ideal and a Less-than-Ideal U.S. Example

This paper uses recent data on U.S. children from the National Survey of America’s Families (NSAF) to create indices that tally the number of problems or risks that individual children experience. We compare results with those from indices developed elsewhere that assess the change across sets of population-level indicators. While the two types of indices show similar trends over time, specific changes, as well as trends, depend on the specific domain of well-being or context examined, highlighting the importance of the distinction between well-being and context. Children with problems in multiple domains tend to be socio-economically and demographically disadvantaged compared with other children. We preface this work by providing an overview of the history of child well-being indicators and distinguish indices of child well-being from indices of the condition of children.
Acute kidney injury during vancomycin therapy in critically ill children.

tudy Objective To determine the rate, risk factors, and outcome of vancomycin–associated acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill children. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Tertiary care children's hospital. Patients We reviewed the charts of children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit during a 2-year period who were treated with vancomycin. Courses of vancomycin interrupted by 3 days or more were counted separately. Patients were excluded if they received vancomycin treatment for fewer than 3 days, had preexisting renal failure, or had incomplete serum creatinine (Scr) data. Measurements and Main Results Demographic and laboratory data; vancomycin dose, duration, and concentrations; and concurrent use of nephrotoxic drugs were recorded. Acute kidney injury was defined as a decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate of 50% or more from the beginning of vancomycin therapy. Descriptive statistics, step-wise logistic regression, and repeated measures ANOVA were used to analyze the data. A total of 284 patients were included, for a total of 391 courses of vancomycin (272 children and 119 infants). The mean duration of vancomycin therapy was 6.9 ± 4.5 days. Forty nine (17.2%) patients developed AKI during 61 (15.6%) courses. Elevated Scr concentrations returned to baseline after stopping vancomycin in 53 (87%) courses. Mortality was higher in children who developed AKI (p<0.001; Fisher's exact test). Administration of nephrotoxic drugs (odds ratio 2.23, Confidence Interval 1.27–3.93) and presence of high blood urea nitrogen (BUN):Scr ratio before vancomycin therapy (p<0.05) were associated with AKI. The BUN and Scr concentrations significantly increased during vancomycin therapy and decreased after vancomycin was discontinued (p<0.05). Conclusions In critically ill children, the development of reversible AKI during vancomycin therapy is associated with administration of nephrotoxic drugs and an elevated BUN: Scr ratio.
Left Ventricular Function After Extended Hypothermic Preservation of the Heart Is Dependent on Functional Coronary Capillarity

Background A growing body of knowledge has led to the hypothesis that injury to the microcirculation during hypothermic myocardial preservation may result in decreased contractility of hearts upon reperfusion. Methods and Results To test this hypothesis, we examined the relationship between no-reflow and left ventricular function after hypothermic cardiac preservation after reperfusion with solutions containing dilute whole blood (DWB) or washed red blood cells (K2RBC). Rat hearts were arrested with high-potassium cardioplegia, then flushed and stored for 6 hours in low-potassium cardioplegia at 4°C. Hearts were reperfused at a constant flow rate (4 mL/min) with K2RBC for 60 minutes (group 1, n=5) or DWB for 7 minutes followed by 53 minutes of K2RBC (group 2, n=5). Left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) was measured with an intraventricular balloon. Immediately after functional assessment, hearts were perfused with an india ink solution to mark flow, then glutaraldehyde. Morphometric techniques were used to determine the degree of capillary compression [Δd(c)], perfused capillary number per fiber area [QA(0)P], and perfused capillary surface area per fiber volume [SV(c,f)P]. Capillaries were moderately compressed in both groups after reperfusion (group 1, 19±1%; group 2, 20±1%). QA(0)P and SV(c,f)P were highly correlated with Δd(c) in hearts reperfused with K2RBC ( r =.92 and r =.92; P <.01). Although statistically significant, the correlation was not as strong in DWB-reperfused hearts ( r =.66 and r =.67; P <.05). LVDP was correlated to QA(0)P and SV(c,f)P ( r =.86 and r =.87, respectively) for groups 1 and 2. Conclusions The weaker correlation between capillary perfusion and capillary compression in DWB-reperfused hearts suggests that factors other than compression contribute to no-reflow after hypothermic preservation. Regardless of the composition of the reperfusate, recovery of left ventricular function after hypothermic ischemia is directly related to coronary capillary perfusion upon reperfusion.
Size and pericentric inversion heteromorphisms of secondary constriction regions (h) of chromosomes 1, 9, and 16 as detected by CBG technique in Caucasians: classification, frequencies, and incidence

Eighty normal Caucasians were studied by CBG technique for estimation of size and inversion heteromorphisms of chromosomes 1, 9, and 16. Size heteromorphisms were classified into one of five sizes using 16p as a reference standard: very small, small, intermediate, large, and very large. Inversion heteromorphisms were also classified into 5 categories - eg, no inversion; partial inversion - minor; half inversion; partial inversion - major; and complete inversion. The frequencies of size heteromorphisms for chromosomes 1, 9, and 16 were 11.3%, 47.5%, and 7.5%, respectively. Thirty-four chromosomes were found to have inversions. Of these, 16 were in chromosome 1, and 18 were in chromosome 9. No inversions were found in chromosome 16. An increase in the size of the h region was more frequently associated with inversion, suggesting that there is a possible relationship between size and inversion. For example, there were 118 chromosomes that were classified as "intermediate" by size; 23 (19.5%) had inversions. In contrast, there were 225 that were "small" in size, and only 10 (4.4%) had inversions. There was no significant difference between males and females for size and position heteromorphisms.
Predicting crime story salience: The effects of crime, victim, and defendant characteristics

This article examines how various crime, victim, and defendant characteristics affect the amount of space and attention provided to newspaper crime stories. Although there is a rather large body of research documenting the presentation of crime in the news, few studies have used multivariate statistical applications. This study uses multiple regression to identify the important variables that increase the salience of crime stories. The findings indicate that the number of victims affected by a crime is the best predictor of increased story salience. The type of offense also had some influence. Other variables tested, such as victim and defendant characteristics, had very little influence on the space and attention provided to newspaper crime stories.
Psychoeducational groups to teach children sexual abuse prevention skills

A series of studies on sexual abuse prevention are presented to highlight important clinical and research issues. In a multi-modal evaluation conducted by the author, elementary children who participated in three group sessions using the Feeling Yes, Feeling No prevention program increased significantly in knowledge and the ability to discriminate unsafe from safe situations. Gains were maintained over a one-year follow-up period. Approximately 5% of the children disclosed sexually abusive experiences. Participating children also exhibited no more anxiety or behavior problems after the program than control children. A second study evaluated the relative efficacy of prevention programs for children conducted by teachers vs. “expert” consultants. Children in each trainer condition demonstrated equivalent knowledge gains and made equivalent numbers of disclosures. Clinical research by other authors is reviewed to highlight important issues in prevention groups with preschoolers and adolescents, the impact of prevention education on feelings about sexuality, and behavioral effects of prevention programs. Finally, the incorporation of prevention education into psychotherapeutic groups for child victims is discussed.
International Organisations: The Challenge of Aligning Mission, Means and Legitimacy

To be effective an international organisation must (a) be given an appropriate mission; (b) be given the means to accomplish its mission; and (c) be viewed as legitimate when carrying out the mission. This paper explores the problems in achieving these prerequisites for success first in a general discussion and then in an application to the WTO. Ensuring these conditions are met is not easy because there is an inherent tendency for many international institutions to experience ‘mission creep’, particularly when accountability for burden sharing is weak. This leads to the central dilemma facing many international organisations. If missions are expanded, and organisations given insufficient means, they are likely to fail (or fall short of optimal behaviour) and be criticised for ineffectiveness. However, the more extensive the means they are given, the more likely that their legitimacy will be questioned. The paper argues that the best way for the WTO to deal with these tensions would be to adopt an approach built on a more variable geometry in which countries would not all be required to participate in a single undertaking.
Why Personal Ties Cannot Be Bought

Personal connections can function as privileged channels of information and trust. When the reliability of information is particularly important applying for a job, needing capital for a new enterprise, moving to a new country their role often becomes crucial. Hence the ethnic enclaves, both residential and professional, in New York City; the economic weight of the Overseas Chinese in their countries of residence; the success of Medieval networks of merchants, organized along ethnic or religious lines. Personal networks are often very successful, but they are by their nature discriminatory and thus tend to generate resentment and opposition among those excluded. Economists and sociologists debate whether networks can be replicated artificially. Not surprisingly, economists tend to be more optimistic, believing that appropriate market mechanisms, encouraged and supported by policy where necessary, can substitute for the missing personal channels. Sociologists on the other hand, see the personal, spontaneous link as the essence of the relation, and thus as something that by its nature cannot be replicated at will (e.g. Marta Tienda and Rebeca Raijman (2001), discussing James E. Rauch (2001)). We address this question in a simple model of labor markets where workers differ in their unobservable productivity. We ask how signaling the possibility of engaging
Semiconductor Thermoelectric Converters of Alternating Current Signals

Measuring converters have been developed based on Bi2Te3 solid solutions optimized for temperature and temporal stability of the basic thermoelectric parameters (thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, and the Seebeck coefficient). Semiconductor material was grown by the vertical zone melting method. High efficiency of the optimized semiconductor materials made it possible to reduce the operating temperature considerably, as well as facilitating selection of structural materials and the converter fabrication technique. The influence of the Peltier and Thomson effects on the accuracy of direct current conversion has been reduced, and the operating frequency range of measurements has been expanded. Thermoelectric converters with sensitivity up to 30 V W−1 have been created without evacuation of the working space, which is filled with an inert gas mixture. The engineered converters offer the advantages of high sensitivity and a wide operating frequency range (up to 30 MHz).
Separation of glucocorticoid receptors by phosphocellulose chromatography at pH 6.8.

Abstract A high molecular weight glucocorticoid receptor partially purified at pH 7.4 from DDT, MF-2 cytosol in the presence of sodium molybdate can be shown to elute from DEAE-cellulose at 0.20 M KCl. This receptor fails to bind to phosphocellulose. However, if the receptor is partially purified at pH 6.8 it now binds to phosphocellulose eluting at 0.14 M KCl. A smaller fraction of receptor obtained at pH 6.8 elutes from phosphocellulose at 0.21 M KC1 and from DEAE-cellulose at 0.09 M KCl. Neither of the two receptor forms binds to DNA-cellulose unless a heating step (30° for 15 min) in the absence of sodium molybdate is performed. Under these conditions the form eluting at 0.09 M (DEAE) or 0.21 M KCl (phosphocellulose) is transformed to a DNA-binding form. Concomitant with transformation is a shift in sedimentation velocity from 8.8S to 3.9S.
Multicentricity of breast carcinoma demonstrated by routine correlated serial multicentric breast carcinoma subgross and radiographic examination

Occult multicentric foci of carcinoma, separate from the tumor that directed biopsy (reference tumor), were documented in mastectomy specimens with a correlated serial subgross and radiographic method of examination (Egan et al2). The relative frequencies of histologic types, sizes and calculated volumes of invasive tumors, and clinical data among patients with a single focus and with multicentric foci of breast carcinoma were compared. Multicentric foci of carcinoma occurred in 18 of 85 cases (21%). Half of the occult lesions were second invasive carcinomas, and in three cases the occult second invasive tumor was larger and/or more poorly differentiated than the reference tumor. However, in no instance was a metastasis documented from an occult carcinoma. On the average, the invasive carcinomas in breasts with multicentric foci of cancer were significantly smaller in diameter and calculated volume was than that of unicentric invasive carcinomas. Patients with multicentric breast carcinoma were more likely to have a positive family history of breast cancer and to have had contralateral cancer than were patients with a single focus of disease. Compared with other types of invasive cancers, tubular carcinomas were significantly more likely to be associated with multicentric invasive carcinomas in this study; half of the reference tubular carcinomas were so associated. Duct carcinoma in situ (DCIS) less than 25 mm in extent was unassociated with occult invasive or significant in situ multicentricity, whereas more diffuse DCIS frequently was associated with occult invasive carcinoma. These latter data suggest an association between the extent of the in situ lesion and the likelihood of occult invasive carcinoma.
Excision of an intact intron as a novel lariat structure during pre-mRNA splicing in vitro

To study the mechanisms of RNA splicing we have analyzed the products generated by in vitro processing of a truncated 32P-labeled human beta-globin RNA precursor that contains the first two exons and the first intervening sequence (IVS1). Six major RNA products were detected and characterized. The first detectable RNA processing event is cleavage at the 5' GT of IVS1. Subsequently, accurately spliced RNA and the excised, intact IVS1 are simultaneously observed. The IVS1-containing RNA processing products have several unusual properties, which include: anomalous electrophoretic mobilities on polyacrylamide gels; a block to reverse transcription near the 3' end of IVS1; the presence of a nuclease-resistant component within IVS1. The block to reverse transcription and the nuclease-resistant component map to the same site near the 3' end of IVS1. The nuclease-resistant component appears to be a modified adenosine residue that contains an RNA branch. Based upon these and other structural studies we propose that the 5' end of IVS1 is joined by a 2'-5' phosphodiester linkage to the A residue in the RNAase T1 oligonucleotide ACTCTCTCTG located 28-37 nucleotides upstream from the IVS1 3' end. The IVS1 is therefore in the form of a lariat. These results imply that sequences within IVS1 actively participate in splicing.
Inhibition of medullary thyroid carcinoma cell proliferation and RET phosphorylation by tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Abstract Background. Most medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTCs) result from gain-of-function mutations in the RET proto-oncogene, which encodes a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor. Systemic therapies have not been effective in treating this disease. We evaluated the effects of 3 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) on MTC cell growth and RET tyrosine kinase activity by using an in vitro model. Methods. An MTC cell line (TT cells, RETc634 mutant) cultured in RPMI medium was exposed to varying concentrations of STI571, genistein, or allyl-geldanamycin with controls (no TKI) for 3 to 48 hours. Cellular protein was analyzed by immunoprecipitated Western blot analysis probing with a monoclonal antiphosphotyrosine antibody. Cell proliferation was determined by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) assays. Results. RET phosphorylation was inhibited at 24 hours of exposure to 5 to 20 μmol/L STI571 and 48 hours of exposure to genistein (200 μmol/L) and allyl-geldanamycin (6 μmol/L). RET protein was detected in equal concentrations in all experimental conditions. MTT and BrdU assays demonstrated a dose-dependent decrease in TT cell proliferation with exposure to the 3 TKIs. Conclusions. These TKIs selectively inhibit cell growth and RET tyrosine kinase activity of MTC cells in vitro in a dose manner. This study suggests the use of TKIs in human trials as a systemic therapy for MTC. (Surgery 2002;132:960-7.)
Neuropeptide gene polymorphisms in affective disorder and schizophrenia

The restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) associated with neuropeptide Y (NPY) and somatostatin loci were used to assess the possibility of linkage to a locus for affective disorder (AD). When somatostatin haplotypes were assigned to members of 2 AD pedigrees under either rare dominant or recessive transmission, the LOD scores obtained at 0% recombination were inconsistent with linkage. Similar results were obtained with NPY under rare dominant inheritance. Comparison of the frequency of the genotypes deduced from the polymorphic alleles of gastrin-releasing peptide, NPY, somatostatin and substance P in normals vs patients with either AD or schizophrenia suggests the absence of association. The difference in the frequency of the 3.3 kb adenosine deaminase fragment in normals vs bipolar and schizophrenic patients is of borderline significance.
Mechanism of microemulsion formation in systems with low interfacial tension: Occurrence, properties, and behavior of microemulsions

Abstract The mechanism of microemulsion formation is developed. It is shown that the process is controlled by a dynamic equilibrium, in which the rate of self-emulsification from one or both of the liquid-liquid boundaries is equal to the rate of coalescence within the microemulsion. The theory gives an understanding as to which of the liquid-liquid interfaces is responsible for spontaneous emulsification, and as to the nature of the “internal” phase. The methodology of experimental investigation of microemulsions is worked out. This methodology establishes the possibility of predicting dynamic and equilibrium characteristics. The experimental quantities that are needed can be measured directly; and in some cases, the necessary data are already available. The equation that was derived has no adjustable constants. It predicts the dependence of the radii of droplets on their concentration in the microemulsion as well as on interfacial tension and temperature. The analysis of experimental data shows that the size of nascent droplets, and average equilibrium drop dimensions, increase with decrease of interfacial tension. This trend agrees with published data. The theory gives an explanation of “phase inversion” in microemulsions. Existing data was analyzed and the dimensions of droplets near the interface were calculated, where they are freshly formed (i.e., nascent droplets) as well as the equilibrium drop dimensions. There is an excellent agreement between predictions and experimental results.