cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spinal and paraspinal Ewing tumors.

Purpose To perform a review of the 40-year University of Florida experience treating spinal and paraspinal Ewing tumors. Patients and Methods A total of 27 patients were treated between 1965 and 2007. For local management, 21 patients were treated with radiotherapy (RT) alone and 6 with surgery plus RT. All patients with metastatic disease were treated with RT alone. The risk profiles of each group were otherwise similar. The median age was 17 years, and the most frequent subsite was the sacral spine ( n = 9). The median potential follow-up was 16 years. Results The 5-year actuarial overall survival, cause-specific survival, and local control rate was 62%, 62%, and 90%, respectively. For the nonmetastatic subset ( n = 22), the 5-year overall survival, cause-specific survival, and local control rate was 71%, 71%, and 89%, respectively. The local control rate was 84% for patients treated with RT alone vs. 100% for those treated with surgery plus RT. Patients who were >14 years old and those who were treated with intensive therapy demonstrated superior local control. Of 9 patients in our series with Frankel C or greater neurologic deficits at presentation, 7 experienced a full recovery with treatment. Of the 27 patients, 37% experienced Common Toxicity Criteria Grade 3 or greater toxicity, including 2 deaths from sepsis. Conclusion Aggressive management of spinal and paraspinal Ewing tumors with RT with or without surgery results in high toxicity but excellent local control and neurologic outcomes. Efforts should be focused on identifying disease amenable to combined modality local therapy and improving RT techniques.
Longterm response of disturbance landscapes to human intervention and global change

The structure of landscapes subject to patch-forming catastrophic disturbances, or “disturbance landscapes”, is controlled by the characteristics of the disturbance regime, including the distribution of disturbance sizes and intervals, and the rotation time. The primary landscape structure in disturbance landscapes is the structure of the mosaic of disturbance patches, which can be described by indices such as patch size and shape. The purpose of this research was to use a geographical information system-based spatial model (DISPATCH) to simulate the effects of the initial density of patches on the rate of response to alteration of a disturbance regime, the effects of global warming and cooling, and the effects of fragmentation and restoration, on the structure of a generalized temperate-zone forested disturbance landscape over a period of 400 yr. The simulations suggest that landscapes require 1/2 to 2 rotations of a new disturbance regime to adjust to that regime regardless of the size and interval distributions. Thus alterations that shorten rotations, as would be the case if global warming increases fire sizes and decreases fire intervals, produce a more rapid response than do alterations that lengthen rotations, such as cooling and fire suppression. Landscape with long rotations may be in perpetual disequilibrium with their disturbance regimes due to a mismatch between their adjustment rate and the rate of climatic change. Landscapes with similar rotation times may have different structures, because size and interval distributions independently affect landscape structure. The response of disturbance landscapes to changing disturbance regimes is governed by both the number and size of patch births.
Large-Scale Modes of a Nonrotating Atmosphere with Water Vapor and Cloud–Radiation Feedbacks

Abstract A minimal model of a moist equatorial atmosphere is presented in which the precipitation rate is assumed to depend on just the vertically averaged saturation deficit and the convective available potential energy. When wind-induced surface heat exchange (WISHE) and cloud–radiation interactions are turned off, there are no growing modes. Gravity waves with wavenumbers smaller than a certain limit respond to a reduced static stability due to latent heat release, and therefore propagate more slowly than dry modes, while those with larger wavenumbers respond to the normal dry static stability. In addition, there exists a stationary mode that decays slowly with time. For realistic parameter values, the effect of reduced static stability on gravity waves is limited to wavelengths greater than the circumference of the earth. WISHE and cloud–radiation interactions both destabilize the stationary mode, but not the gravity waves.
Bovine adrenal cortical protein kinases: isolation of the type II catalytic subunit.

Abstract Bovine adrenal cortical protein kinase type II catalytic subunit (ATP: Protein Phosphotransferase EC 2.7.1.37) has been purified by a method which relies on differences in net charge for the holoenzyme and the catalytic subunit. The purified subunit migrates as a single band on SDS disc gel electrophoresis (molecular weight, 43,500 daltons). The molecular weight based on gel filtration is 38,600. Isoelectric focusing resolves the subunit into 4 components all of which have the same pH optimum for activity. The apparent Km values for ATP are 24, 25, and 35 μM for the catalytic subunit, and the holoenzyme assayed in the absence or presence of cyclic AMP respectively; for histone, values of 0.9 and 1.0 mg/ml are obtained for the catalytic subunit and the holoenzyme. The pH-activity profile is broad with optimum activity at pH 6.5.
String structures on loop bundles

Differential geometry and topology of principal loop bundles (bundles of loop groups over loop spaces) are investigated. String structures, defined as bundle extensions corresponding to the central extension of the structure group, do not always exist. Various methods for deriving the obstruction to the existence of string structures are discussed.
Importance of weed control, fertilization, irrigation, and genetics in slash and loblolly pine early growth on poorly drained spodosols.

Abstract Research reported here has evaluated interactions of factors limiting the biological potential of slash pine ( Pinus elliottii var. elliottii Engelm.) and loblolly pine ( P. Taeda L.). Water and nutrients were manipulated by irrigation, weed control, and intensive fertilization. Genetic factors were incorporated as (1) improved loblolly seedlings from a commercial clonal seed orchard and (2) slash seedlings from four fast-growing, open-pollinated seed-orchard clones. Three replications of a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment were established on a Typic Haplaquod soil in northern Florida using four cultural treatments: no treatment (F0H0); weed control (F0H1); fertilizer (F1F0); and combination of weed control and fertilizer (F1H1) for each species. During the first year there were large, sustained responses to all cultural practices. Loblolly and slash pine showed similar growth responses and had a lengthened growing season (60–100 days). Slash pine growth was superior to that of loblolly. Growth responses observed during the first year continued. After 4 years, irrigation had no measurable effect on tree growth. Both pine species responded equally to F1H0 and F0H1, but slash retained a slight edge. Extra nutrients]available via fertilizer, reduced competition, or additional rooting space, increased slash-pine volume index from an average of 2.0 m 3 ha −1 (F0H0) to 11.90 and 13.59 m 3 ha −1 (F0H1 and F1H0, respectively). The F1H1 treatment produced the largest slash-pine response, diameter at breast height ( D bh ) averaged 9.84 cm, height reached 5.02 m, and volume index rose to about 22.94 m 3 ha −1 . With teh F1H1 treatment, average loblolly-pine height and volume exceeded that of the average slash pine. At age 4, the growth response due to increased nutrient supply was 13–29 times that of the best genetic response within F0H0 trees of the four slash-pine progenies. The best-growing slash-pine family (6–56) exceeded loblolly-pine growth under all four treatments and approximated the vigor shown by slash pine in the southern hemisphere.
Evolution in Fossil Lineages: Paleontology and The Origin of Species

Of all of the sources of evidence for evolution by natural selection, perhaps the most problematic for Darwin was the geolog- ical record of organic change. In response to the absence of species- level transformations in the fossil record, Darwin argued that the fossil record was too incomplete, too biased, and too poorly known to provide strong evidence against his theory. Here, this view of the fossil record is evaluated in light of 150 years of subsequent pale- ontological research. Although Darwin's assessment of the complete- ness and resolution of fossiliferous rocks was in several ways astute, today the fossil record is much better explored, documented, and understood than it was in 1859. In particular, a reasonably large set of studies tracing evolutionary trajectories within species can now be brought to bear on Darwin's expectation of gradual change driven by natural selection. An unusually high-resolution sequence of stickleback-bearing strata records the transformation of this lineage via natural selection. This adaptive trajectory is qualitatively consis- tent with Darwin's prediction, but it occurred much more rapidly than he would have guessed: almost all of the directional change was completed within 1,000 generations. In most geological sequences, this change would be too rapid to resolve. The accumulated fossil record at more typical paleontological scales (10 4 -10 6 years) reveals evolutionary changes that are rarely directional and net rates of change that are perhaps surprisingly slow, two findings that are in agreement with the punctuated-equilibrium model. Finally, Darwin's view of the broader history of life is reviewed briefly, with a focus on competition-mediated extinction and recent paleontological and phylogenetic attempts to assess diversity dependence in evolutionary dynamics.
Osteosarcoma of the proximal part of the radius in Mazabraud syndrome. A case report.

Malignant transformation of fibrous dysplasia into sarcoma is a rare event, occurring in less than 1% of cases1,2. Malignant transformation of fibrous dysplasia can also occur as part of Mazabraud syndrome, a syndrome characterized by fibrous dysplasia and intramuscular myxomas1. However, Mazabraud syndrome is so rare that only four cases of sarcomatous degeneration have been reported in the literature1,3-5. Here we report a fifth case, which involved the development of osteosarcoma in a fibrous dysplastic lesion of the proximal part of the radius in a patient with Mazabraud syndrome. The patient was informed that data concerning the case would be submitted for publication, and he consented. A sixty-three-year-old man with a history of melanoma presented to our orthopaedic oncology clinic with pain in the right forearm. Fifteen years previously, the melanoma had been treated with excision, lymph-node dissection, and chemotherapy. The patient had been doing well until two months before the current presentation, when the forearm began to be painful. He described the pain as dull, aching, and moderate in severity. It bothered him mostly when he was performing heavy lifting, and he felt some relief after taking ibuprofen. He had no history of recent trauma to the area or fever, chills, night sweats, or weight loss. He had a thirty-pack-year smoking history, and his sister had died of ovarian cancer at sixteen years of age. His physical examination did not reveal any palpable masses, erythema, skin changes, or sensorimotor abnormalities, although the right forearm was slightly larger than the left. The initial radiographs (Figs. 1-A and 1-B) showed a mixed lytic-sclerotic lesion spanning the length of the radius, with expansion of the radial head, neck, and entire diaphysis. The lesion was benign in appearance and had no …
Propagation of the Silvery Minnow (Hybognathus Nuchalis Regius Girard) in Ponds

Abstract The silvery minnow was propagated successfully in a shallow earthen pond, 0.15 acre in area, at the experimental hatchery at Cornell University. The silvery minnow spawns in late April and early May over a silt bottom and requires no aquatic vegetation. The males are identified by their yellow color and the presence of minute body tubercles. The pond was fertilized three times during the summer with cottonseed meal and freshly-cut timothy was scattered along the shallow borders of the pond at intervals. The fish were not fed. Breeding adults (68 females and 16 males) from Cayuga Lake were introduced during the spring of 1938. In late September 6,650 young silvery minnows were recovered from the pond, and had an average total length of 61 millimeters (range, 41–72 millimeters). The production per acre was approximately 44,000. Several thousand of the minnows were retained in the same pond through a second summer at the end of which they had attained an average length of 80 millimeters (range, 65 t...
Effects of noise on articulation scoring: A methodological study

Abstract A video-tape of children's responses to an articulation test was played once in the ambient quiet of a television studio, and once while electronically mixed with five conditions of broadband noise. The responses were scored by trainees in speech pathology. Differences in scoring between the play and replay showed: errors that could be heard in both quiet and noise decreased, and more errors were obscured by noise as a function of greater noise levels. Responses scored as errors in noise, but not scored as errors in quiet, were maximized when the broadband noise was between 60 and 65 dB. It was concluded that the noise affected the listeners' judgments of the apparent defectiveness of the articulations they heard in complex and conflicting ways. The results illustrate the need for control of noise in experimental studies of articulation and in articulation testing.
Prevertebral ganglia and intestinofugal afferent neurones

Intestinofugal afferent neurones (IFANs) are a unique subset of myenteric ganglion neurones that regulate normal gastrointestinal function. The IFANs relaying mechanosensory information to sympathetic neurones of the prevertebral ganglion (PVG) function as volume detectors. It is possible that mechanosensory information arriving in the PVG via axon collaterals of visceral spinal afferent nerves can be modulated entirely within the PVG itself.
Comparison of the Kinetics of Acyclic Diene Metathesis Promoted by Grubbs Ruthenium Olefin Metathesis Catalysts

The kinetics of acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) promoted by (PCy3)2Cl2RuCHPh (2), and the more recently developed catalyst 3, which contains the 1,3-bis(mesityl)imidazolidene-2-ylidene (SIMes) ligand, were measured and compared. Complex 3 is clearly the more active catalyst at temperatures of 45−75 °C, while complex 2 is actually the faster catalyst at 30 °C. Although no induction period was observed for complex 2, a conspicuous delay in activity was observed at the onset of ADMET with complex 3 at all temperatures studied. We propose that this behavior is due to the rates of phosphine dissociation for these catalysts, as is consistent with new mechanistic data in the context of other olefin metathesis reactions.
Physical activity in gastric bypass patients: associations with weight loss and psychosocial functioning at 12-month follow-up.

Background This study examined self-reported frequency and intensity of physical activity in gastric bypass patients, and the relationship between physical activity and weight loss and psychosocial outcomes during 12-month postoperative follow-up.
Chronic hepatitis C in the state prison system: insights into the problems and possible solutions.

The prevalence of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) within the correctional system is estimated to be 10–20-times greater than that which is reported in the general population. High-risk behavioral patterns probably account for the greater estimates in this population. Recent observations of more than 780 patient-inmates infected with HCV within the California Department of Corrections suggest a very high prevalence of advanced fibrosis in this population. Observational studies performed in Texas have shown that the rates of chronic liver disease-related deaths have increased significantly between 1989 and 2003, especially among Hispanic patient-inmates. Viral hepatitis accounts for a significant number of these chronic liver disease-related deaths. Identification of high-risk patient-inmates infected with HCV, as well as appropriation of funds for their treatment, should result in a decreased rate of liver-related complications. This should translate into reduced morbidity and cost to correctional institut...
Expected travel time and optimal boundary formulas for a two-class-based automated storage/retrieval system

Our paper studies a two-class-based rectangular-in-time automated storage/ retrieval system (AS/RS). We present explicit formulas for the optima! boundary of the two storage areas as well as for the expected single command cycle time for an optimally designed rack. In the basic model each crane handles a single aisle. These formulas provide the designer with a full picture of the quantitative effects of the various factors (i.e., access frequencies of the two storage areas, and dimensions of the rack) on the optimal boundary of the two storage areas and the achievable cycle lime in the warehouse. We also develop expected travel time formulas for the dual command AS/RS with two-class-based storage policies and obtain the optimal boundary with a one-dimensional search procedure. Similar developments (i.e., expected travel time formulas and optimal boundary search procedures) are discussed for AS/RS with a single command policy but with each crane handling multiple aisles.
Sociology in the 21st century: Where there is no vision, the people perish

This article provides a general overview of the critical issues and problems concerning the current and future status of the profession of sociology. The statement of the problem is delineated with...
Mentoring in public accounting firms: An analysis of mentor-protégé relationships, mentorship functions, and protégé turnover intentions☆

Abstract From in-depth interviews with public accounting personnel, Dirsmith & Covaleski [ Accounting, Organizations and Society (1985) pp. 149–169] concluded that mentoring exists in large public accounting firms and benefits the mentor, protege and the firm. Based on a national survey of public accounting employees, the current study uses quantitative data analysis to identify public accounting mentoring functions, their effect on employee turnover intentions, and their association with specific organizational variables (protege organizational level, protege gender, mentor's position, and audit firm structure). The study found that public accounting mentoring consists of three separate functions: social support, career development, and role modeling. Path analysis indicated that employees with lower turnover intentions received more career development support from their mentor and had a partner as a mentor. The level of social support provided by partner mentors tended to be less than that provided by manager mentors. Female proteges, who tended to have managers as mentors, received more social support when their mentor was also female. The role modeling function did not differ across organizational variables. The results of the study indicate that while social support is a key factor in defining the mentoring process for public accounting employees, the career development function is associated with lower protege turnover intentions.
Structural, optical, and transport properties of α- And β-Ag 3VO 4

The structures of α- and β-Ag3VO4 were studied via single- crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD). The transition from α-phase to β-phase was found to occur at 110 °C. Single-crystal XRD revealed that the integrity of the single crystals was maintained as Ag3VO4 reversibly transitioned between α-Ag3VO4 and β-Ag3VO4. The optical and electrical properties of polycrystalline α-Ag3VO4 were studied by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and impedance spectroscopy. In order to assess the optical and electrical properties of β-Ag3VO4, in situ measurements were performed above the phase-transition temperature. Thin films of α-Ag3VO4 were prepared by combinatorial sputtering and pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The crystallo- graphic, optical, and electrical conductivity properties of the α-Ag3VO4 thin films were compared with the bulk properties.
Galvanic Degradation of Amalgam Restorations

Amalgam restorations in contact with saliva and tissue fluid act as concentration cells. The galvanic current is associated with selective attack of the γ 2phase and loss of mechanical properties. Tin is deposited in the underlying dentin. Cavity liners do not stop the degradation.
Moving Load on a Laminated Composite

A solution is presented for the dynamic response of a periodically laminated half plane that consists of alternating layers of two different materials and is subjected to a moving load. The laminations are parallel to the surface of the half plane, and the velocity of the load is steady and supersonic. An effective stiffness theory developed by Sun, Achenbach, and Herrmann is used to model the layered material, and the formal solution is obtained with the aid of Laplace transforms. A far-field solution is constructed with the head-of-the-pulse procedure, and several numerical examples are presented.
Impact of the convection-wind-evaporation feedback on surface climate simulation in general circulation models

The wind-evaporation-convection feedback in the tropics is demonstrated to strongly affect the mean state of surface climate in atmospheric general circulation models. The feedback is shown to be very effective in channeling perturbations from one component of the climate system to other components, e.g., from evaporation to surface wind and from atmospheric convective activity to evaporation. It also provides an effective channel to pass on atmospheric perturbations in the middle and upper troposphere to the surface. As an illustration, it is shown that surface evaporation over tropical oceans is connected with cloud absorption of shortwave radiation through this feedback. Insufficient shortwave cloud absorption, causing excessive shortwave radiation at the surface as is common in most of the climate models, leads to excessive evaporation. Quantitatively, sensitivity of evaporation to short-wave cloud absorption, when averaged over the whole tropics, can be described by an approximate balance of variations in atmospheric radiative cooling and latent heating. This balance is achieved by the impact of radiation on convection, and then on the surface wind and evaporation. This mechanism calls for the need to include atmospheric processes far beyond the surface for improvements of the quality of surface climate simulation.
Pitch calibration by reflective laser diffraction

The pitch calibration by a single wavelength laser and Littrow configuration laser diffractometer was presented. The calibration system consists of a green He-Ne laser, a precision angular positioning state, a four-quadrant detector, a beam splitter, and some optics. The measurement principles was based on the Littrow configuation that the reflective diffraction beam coincides with the incident beam. The pitch value was determined by the diffraction angle α and laser wavelength λ. A pitch standard, with nominal value of 292 nm, was measured by a wavelength of 543 nm green He-Ne laser diffractometer. The average pitch value was 292.10 nm. According to the "Guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement", the system uncertainty was evaluated. The error sources included laser wavelength, refractive index of air, angular state, temperature, and coefficient of thermal expansion. The expanded uncertainty was 0.03 nm at a confidence level of 95% and 15 degrees of freedom. The main contributor of uncertainy was the positioning deviation of angular stage. Although the laser diffractometer had a high-accuracy ability, the measurement capability of Laser diffractometer was limited by the laser wavelength. The pitch p should be large than a half of laser wavelength.
Relationship between in vitro somatotroph function and growth in three-week-old barrows

The relationship between in vitro somatotroph function and growth was examined in piglets demonstrating a continuous range of growth characteristics. Twenty barrows were sacrificed at 3 weeks of age for the collection of pituitary tissue and blood. Pituitary cells from each animal were cultured and exposed to vehicle (culture medium); .1, 1, and 10 nM growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH); 2 mM 8-Br-cAMP (cAMP); 100 nM phorbol myristate acetate (PMA); and 59 mM KCl. All secretagogue treatments stimulated growth hormone (GH) secretion (p .3). Intracellular GH content was correlated with in vitro GH secretion (p < .01) and serum IGF-1 concentrations (p < .001). Somatotroph function was contrasted in the 7 largest and 7 smallest piglets (large, 8.3 +/- .3 kg, n = 7; small, 4.5 +/- .2 kg, n = 7). Treatment with GHRH produced a dose-related increase in GH secretion in both experimental groups (p < .0001). No significant size x GHRH interaction was detected (p = .09), When contrasted with the small group, the large group demonstrated elevated GH secretion in culture (p < .01), icGH content (p < .001), and circulating IGF-1 (p < .001). The results of this study raise the possibility of a functional relationship between porcine somatotroph secretory activity and growth, mediated by IGF-1, which may be regulated by the quantity of GH available for release.
On the Chor--Rivest knapsack cryptosystem

Among all public-key cryptosystems that depend on the knapsack problem, the system proposed by Chor and Rivest (IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory 34 (1988), 901---909) is one of the few that have not been broken. The main difficulty in implementing their system is the computation of discrete logarithms in large finite fields. In this note we describe the "powerline system," which is a modification of the Chor-Rivest system that does not have this shortcoming. The powerline system, which is not a knapsack system, is at least as secure as the original Chor-Rivest system.
PRESERVICE TEACHERS ADVOCATING CHILDREN'S RIGHTS FOR LEARNING THROUGH USER‐FRIENDLY MATERIALS

(2000). PRESERVICE TEACHERS ADVOCATING CHILDREN'S RIGHTS FOR LEARNING THROUGH USER‐FRIENDLY MATERIALS. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education: Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 303-307.
Ezrin and Moesin Are Required for Efficient T Cell Adhesion and Homing to Lymphoid Organs

T cell trafficking between the blood and lymphoid organs is a complex, multistep process that requires several highly dynamic and coordinated changes in cyto-architecture. Members of the ezrin, radixin and moesin (ERM) family of actin-binding proteins have been implicated in several aspects of this process, but studies have yielded conflicting results. Using mice with a conditional deletion of ezrin in CD4+ cells and moesin-specific siRNA, we generated T cells lacking ERM proteins, and investigated the effect on specific events required for T cell trafficking. ERM-deficient T cells migrated normally in multiple in vitro and in vivo assays, and could undergo efficient diapedesis in vitro. However, these cells were impaired in their ability to adhere to the β1 integrin ligand fibronectin, and to polarize appropriately in response to fibronectin and VCAM-1 binding. This defect was specific for β1 integrins, as adhesion and polarization in response to ICAM-1 were normal. In vivo, ERM-deficient T cells showed defects in homing to lymphoid organs. Taken together, these results show that ERM proteins are largely dispensable for T cell chemotaxis, but are important for β1 integrin function and homing to lymphoid organs.
Three-dimensional plus time biventricular strain from tagged MR images by phase-unwrapped harmonic phase.

Purpose To validate a method called bi-ventricular strain unwrapped phase (BiSUP) for reconstructing three-dimensional plus time (3D+t) biventricular strain maps from phase-unwrapped harmonic phase (HARP) images derived from tagged cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Design of a logic element for implementing an asynchronous FPGA

A reconfigurable logic element (LE) is developed for use in constructing a NULL Convention Logic (NCL) FPGA. It can be configured as any of the 27 fundamental NCL gates, including resettable and inverting variations, and can utilize embedded registration for gates with three or fewer inputs. The developed LE is compared with a previous NCL LE, showing that the one developed herein yields a more area efficient NCL circuit implementation. The NCL FPGA logic element is simulated at the transistor level using the 1.8V, 180nm TSMC CMOS process.
Self-concept and academic performance in Jamaican teenagers.

(1989). Self-Concept and Academic Performance in Jamaican Teenagers. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 129, No. 5, pp. 725-726.
Expectation of Death, Participation in Funeral Arrangements, and Grief Adjustment

This research investigated the hypotheses that prior expectation of death and participation of the bereaved in planning and conducting funeral rituals will facilitate grief adjustment. Fifty primary survivors were interviewed twelve to eighteen months after the death. The hypothesis that participation in funeral rituals will facilitate grief adjustment was not confirmed. Prior expectation of death was significantly related to subsequent grief adjustment. This led to further speculation that participation in funeral rituals is important in facilitating grief adjustment in those cases in which death was not expected. Evidence regarding this hypothesis is discussed.
Genetics of Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism

Determining the physiologic influences that modulate GnRH secretion, the prime initiator of reproductive function in the human, is fundamental not only to our understanding of the rare condition of congenital idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH), but also common disorders such as constitutional delay of puberty and hypothalamic amenorrhea. IHH is characterized by low levels of sex steroids and gonadotropins, normal findings on radiographic imaging of the hypothalamic-pituitary regions, and normal baseline and reserve testing of the remainder of the hypothalamic-pituitary axes. Failure of the normal pattern of episodic GnRH secretion results in delay of puberty and infertility. IHH is characterized by rich clinical and genetic heterogeneity, variable modes of inheritance, and association with other anomalies. To date, 4 genes have been identified as causes of IHH in the human; KAL [the gene for X-linked Kallmann syndrome (IHH and anosmia)], DAX1 [the gene for X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita (IHH and adrenal insufficiency)], GNRHR (the GnRH receptor), and PC1 (the gene for prohormone convertase 1, causing a syndrome of IHH and defects in prohormone processing). As these mutations account for less than 20% of all IHH cases, discovery of additional gene mutations will continue to advance our understanding of this intriguing syndrome.
Relationship of atmospheric ozone profiles to solar magnetic activity

The observed relationship between atmospheric vorticity variations and solar magnetic sector boundary passages is examined for a possible connection via ionization changes affecting ozone distributions. A superposed epoch analysis was performed on Umkehr distributions for 18 years from Arosa, Switzerland, with use of more than 500 solar sector boundary passages as keyday zero. No significant responses are observed in any Umkehr level or in total observed ozone amounts. Further analyses on shorter records for Belsk, Poland, and Hohenpeissenberg, West Germany, corroborate these results. Another analysis for Arosa with about 100 type IV solar flares as keyday zero also shows no definitive trend. It is concluded that ozone distribution changes cannot be the primary causative mechanism for vorticity variations.
Developmental trajectories of substance use from early adolescence to young adulthood: gender and racial/ethnic differences

The current study examined gender and racial/ethnic (Hispanics, non-Hispanic Caucasians, non-Hispanic African Americans, and non-Hispanic Asians) differences in developmental trajectories of alcohol use, heavy drinking, smoking, and marijuana use from early adolescence to young adulthood using a nationally representative sample.
Role of Starch Granule Characteristics (volume fraction, rigidity, and fractal dimension) on Rheology of Starch Dispersions With and Without Amylose

ABSTRACT The link between rheological behavior and morphological-structural characteristics of gelatinized starch granules has been studied in two starch dispersions (SDs): a cross-linked waxy maize (CLWM), and tapioca starch, a tuber starch with 19.3 % amylose. Based on the power law relationship between the elastic modulus and volume fraction of the granules predicted by scaling theory, fractal dimension values were obtained for CLWM starch D = 2.81, and tapioca starch D = 2.79, suggesting that both starch granules have highly convoluted surfaces. However, the preexponential coefficient (G′o=1) for CLWM SDs was an order of magnitude greater than that for tapioca SDs, in the same range of volume fractions. The G′o=1 was mainly dependent on the granule rigidity, and the amylose content in the continuous phase played only a minor role in the rheological behavior.
3797 Long term outcome of endoscopic therapy for sphincter of oddi dysfunction.

Long-term outcomes after sphincterotomy (ES) for SOD are not well known, especially for pancreatic (P) as well as biliary (B) ES. Clinical predictors of outcome other than duct dilation or LFT abnormalities are not well clarified. Methods:We prospectively studied 126 consecutive patients treated over 3 yr for SOD (recurrent pain suspected to be from structural or functional P/B sphincter abnormality, +/- any clinical evidence of P/B abnormality): 92% female, 87% post-chole, 41% nl LFT's + nondilated B duct (type III), 19% recurrent pancreatitis, and 18% with prior B ES elsewhere. SO manometry (mano) was done in 87%. All pts had B ES; indication for P ES was abnl P mano or hx pancreatitis, usually reserved for poor response to B ES. Nonresponders had repeat ERCP to point of total ablation of the treated sphincter(s). Pts graded final pain relief on a 5-point Likert scale: with excellent (total resolution) or good (substantially better) = improved, and fair (minor improvement), poor (no change) or very poor (worse) = not improved. Results: Of 121 pts with 1-4 yr f/u, 83 (69%) were improved: 61 (50%) required more than 1 ERCP, and 49 (40%) P ES. Final improvement occurred in 78% of pts requiring only 1 ERCP, but also in 60% of pts requiring 2-6 total ERCP's. Response was similar for type III vs others (62% v 73%), but more (50% v 34%) required P ES. Of 27 variables examined, multivariate predictors (p 1 ERCP. Not predictive were: abnl B or P enzymes, dilated B or P ducts, abnormal B mano, prior B ES elsewhere, chronic pancreatitis by EUS/ERP, location/duration or hospitalization for pain, depression, IBS, or other concomitant pain syndrome. Conclusion: Endoscopic treatment of SOD resulted in long term improvement in about 2/3 pts, using biliary ES in all plus selective pancreatic ES. Repeated ERCP's were required in half of pts and salvaged 60% of nonresponders to initial ES. Response was similar for type III (pain only) as for other pts, and traditional classification based on abnormal enzymes and duct dilation did not predict outcome. Clinical features including younger age, daily narcotic use, and gastroparesis did lessen likelihood of response. These results highlight the importance of global clinical assessment, pancreatic mano and ES, and repeated ERCP in order to achieve optimal outcomes for SOD
Language constructs for managing change in process-centered environments

Change is pervasive during software development, affecting objects, processes, and environments. In process centered environments, change management can be facilitated by software-process programming, which formalizes the representation of software products and processes using software-process programming languages (SPPLs). To fully realize this goal SPPLs should include constructs that specifically address the problems of change management. These problems include lack of representation of inter-object relationships, weak semantics for inter-object relationships, visibility of implementations, lack of formal representation of software processes, and reliance on programmers to manage change manually.APPL/A is a prototype SPPL that addresses these problems. APPL/A is an extension to Ada.. The principal extensions include abstract, persistent relations with programmable implementations, relation attributes that may be composite and derived, triggers that react to relation operations, optionally-enforceable predicates on relations, and five composite statements with transaction-like capabilities.APPL/A relations and triggers are especially important for the problems raised here. Relations enable inter-object relationships to be represented explicitly and derivation dependencies to be maintained automatically. Relation bodies can be programmed to implement alternative storage and computation strategies without affecting users of relation specifications. Triggers can react to changes in relations, automatically propagating data, invoking tools, and performing other change management tasks. Predicates and the transaction-like statements support change management in the face of evolving standards of consistency. Together, these features mitigate many of the problems that complicate change management in software processes and process-centered environments.
Freedom, License, and Responsibility

Contrary to the hand-wringing of some radicals, academic freedom in the United States is in very good shape. The test of this is not whether professors are vilified for their views by polemicists like David Horowitz, but whether professors are prevented from expressing those views or suffer material harm—such as losing their jobs—as a result of doing so. That has not happened on any significant scale in recent times, despite claims to the contrary. Aggressive criticism by those concerned with what they see as academics’ abuse of power in their instruction of students, or misuse of donors’ or taxpayers’ funds, does raise some tricky issues, but so far these sallies have done no damage at all to academic freedom properly conceived. There is no assurance that the security of genuine academic freedom will endure, however, if the definition of it demanded by our profession comes to be seen as academic license. The difference between freedom and license is that freedom has limits, responsibilities, and standards to which its beneficiaries must be held. Defenders of the principle of academic freedom are credible if, and only if, they admit that the principle has limits, however hard it may be to agree on exactly where those limits lie or how to enforce them. To assert as some academics do that the rest of society has no right to exert any of its own checks or balances on our profession comes close to a demand for license. The reasoning behind such an assertion is antidemocratic. If professors press such a demand to the point that much of the rest of society notices (which it has not yet), democracy will turn and bite them. Academic freedom is a value that gets traction only within a liberal society. It is a liberal ideological principle, with no …
Thyroidectomy as Primary Treatment Optimizes Body Mass Index in Patients with Hyperthyroidism

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine how the timing of thyroidectomy influenced postoperative weight change.
Single crystal growth of sodium cyanide and potassium cyanide

Abstract NaCN and KCN were purified by vacuum melting, filtering and zone refining. Details are presented for a simple apparatus for vacuum purification, gas treatment and filtration of molten salts. The purified, particle-free melts were the basis for Czochralski growth of 10 cm 3 monocrystals in a controlled environment. The resulting single-crystal boules showed no low angle grain boundaries greater than 0.2° as determined by neutron diffraction analysis of the complete boule.
Morphology Controlled Magnesium Ethoxide: Influence of Reaction Parameters and Magnesium Characteristics

Controlled reaction of magnesium with ethanol was found to produce morphological magnesium ethoxide. The scanning electron microscopy studies indicate that particles of magnesium ethoxide grow on the surface of magnesium granules and are detached from the surface as a result of shearing and collisions during the reaction. Particle characteristics of magnesium show influence on the kinetics of the reaction as well as morphological characteristics of magnesium ethoxide. Impact of other process parameter variations on the magnesium ethoxide particle characteristics is also studied. The reaction rate, agitation speed, and type of agitator show influence on the product characteristics, whereas no influence of change in reaction pressure is observed.
Science on the Move: Recent Trends in the History of Early Modern Science*

O ne of the most important developments of the period ca. 1400-1750, which I will call early modern, was the rise of a new philosophy, the new experimental science.' This used to be understood as a history of European achievement from the Renaissance forward, a universe-changing paradigm shift that defmed the modern world. There is no doubt that the growth of modern science forms one of the most significant phenomena of the modern age, affirmed today in the massive public and private funding for research into natural science and medicine. But the question for the historian is. What does this modern phenomenon have to do with the early modern period? The last generation has been an exciting time to come of age in the history of science: the field has definitively emerged from its beginnings in the history of philosophy, intellectual history, and the discrete histories of sciences written by and for their practitioners, to offer answers to
Atlas of Biodiversity: Mapping the spatial structure of life

Track analysis draws lines between geographically separated groups of related organisms. A track poses questions as to why those related species are disjunct and why they are found in their present location. When several tracks are superimposed, it suggests that there may be a common underlying explanation. The explanations may involve geological or other hypotheses that are of profound interest to evolutionary, cladistic, geological, climatic, and other analyses. Atlases of tracks provide a gold mine of profound questions leading to interesting answers about the origin, evolution, and composition of global biodiversity. John Grehan is particularly interested in the integration of historical biogeography and biodiversity, and has promoted the development of a biogeographic Atlas of Biodiversity. He also works on the biogeography, evolution, and systematics of ghost moths (Hepialidae).
Gender, Literature, and Film in Contemporary East Central European Culture

In her article, "Gender, Literature, and Film in Contemporary East Central European Culture," Aniko Imre discusses gender, literature, and film in Hungary in the context of East Central European national cultures of the 1980s and 1990s. Aniko Imre analyzes the analogous gender structures that underlie both nation and literature in these transitional cultures. She challenges both social science studies of post-communist transitions and studies of East Central European literatures and cultures for their traditional neglect of gendered desire as a political factor. Thereby, Imre adopts a deconstructionist, feminist, and post-colonial approach to Hungarian "postmodernist" literature and film, which, similar to other East Central European cultures, combine an intense interest in the female and the feminine with the refusal of political commitment conveyed in poetic forms. Imre investigates the interrelationships among these features in order to point to a male intellectual culture emasculated by colonization, whose use of "poetic pornography" disguises an effort to defend patriarchal privileges threatened by the effects of the transition. Aniko Imre, "Gender, Literature, and Film in Contemporary East Central European Culture" page 2 of 13 CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 3.1 (2001):
Battle of the BRCA1/BRCA2 (offspring) sex ratios: truth or consequences

Recent publications suggesting a skewed ratio of female to male births and a non-dominant transmission of mutant alleles to female offspring of BRCA mutation carriers have highlighted important potential implications when counselling affected individuals.1,2 As the cancers seen in the hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC) are predominantly breast and ovarian cancers, one would expect that families with an increased number of female offspring would be more likely to have family histories suggestive of HBOC—specifically a number of breast or ovarian cancers, or both, in two or more generations. Families with more female offspring may also be more likely to seek genetic counselling. Many women with breast cancer who have female children undergo genetic counselling and testing because of concerns for the risks to their children. For these reasons, these studies are difficult to do, and despite the authors’ best efforts are subject to ascertainment bias. It is imperative that results regarding sex ratios in this population be interpreted carefully. The ideal study would require a more population based approach, with testing carried out on a cohort of individuals and their offspring without attention to their family history. Various issues make this approach impractical, including but not limited to the cost of testing and the nature of genetic testing, in that it is not a “routine” type of laboratory test that can be done without any understanding of the implications of a positive test and a follow up plan in place to deal with individuals who are found to have a mutation. In the first paper to address this issue, by de la Hoya and colleagues, the sex ratio of offspring was studied in 68 Spanish families who had been previously screened for mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 .1 These families were all tested on the …
Riemannian geometry of quantum computation

Abstract A review is given of some recent developments in the differential geometry of quantum computation for which the quantum evolution is described by the special unitary unimodular group, S U ( 2 n ) . Using the Lie algebra s u ( 2 n ) , detailed derivations are given of a useful Riemannian geometry of S U ( 2 n ) , including the connection and the geodesic equation for minimal complexity quantum computations.
A tale of two compounds.

Two constitutional isomers with exceptionally similar structures have had very different impacts in chemistry and beyond. With this example, Bruce Gibb highlights just how difficult it is to predict how much a particular compound or piece of chemical research will contribute to society, especially in the short term.