cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase 1 dose‐finding study of metformin in combination with concurrent cisplatin and radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell cancer

Background The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate remains at 50% for patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LAHNSCC), thereby underscoring the need for improved treatments. An antidiabetic agent, metformin, was found in retrospective studies to improve survival in patients with HNSCC. Therefore, the authors conducted a phase 1 dose escalation study combining metformin with chemoradiotherapy in patients with LAHNSCC. Methods Nondiabetic patients with LAHNSCC were enrolled in the current study to receive escalating doses of metformin and CRT based on the modified toxicity probability interval design. Metformin cohort doses included 2000 mg, 2550 mg, and 3000 mg daily in divided doses in addition to cisplatin (at a dose of 100 mg/m2 on days 1, 22, and 43) and standard radiotherapy (70 grays). Adverse events were categorized as per the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 4.03). Results Twenty patients were enrolled, 2 of whom withdrew consent. The median age of the patients was 56 years and the majority were male (83%), were white (88%), had p16-positive disease (72%), and were tobacco users (61%). The median length of metformin exposure was 28.5 days. The most common grade ≥3 toxicities were nausea (11%), vomiting (11%), mucositis (6%), acute kidney injury (17%), anemia (6%), and leukopenia (11%). Dose-limiting toxicities included diarrhea and acute kidney injury. After a median follow-up of 19 months, the 2-year overall survival and progression-free survival rates were 90% and 84%, respectively. No hypoglycemia events or lactic acidosis were observed. Cisplatin administration did not appear to affect metformin pharmacokinetics. The maximum tolerated dose for metformin could not be determined given the limited number of patients who tolerated metformin during chemoradiotherapy. Conclusions To the authors' knowledge, the current study is the first phase 1 trial combining metformin with chemoradiotherapy. Rates of overall survival and progression-free survival were encouraging in this limited patient population, and warrant further investigation in a phase 2 trial.
Ascorbate As A Pro-Oxidant and an Anti-Oxidant During a Mehler Reaction

The reduction of oxygen occurs during normal photosynthetic electron transport forming superoxide and ultimately hydrogen peroxide [1,2,3]. This is termed the Mehler Reaction. Hydrogen peroxide is known to be inhibitory in many biochemical reactions. Chloroplasts have an enzymatic ascorbate-glutathione-NAD(P)H scavenging system for hydrogen peroxide [4,5]. Nevertheless, photoiinhibition of photosynthetic systems can occur [6,7]. Even if hydrogen peroxide is present in very small quantities and unable to cause any biological damage directly, it could be reduced by a reduced transition metal (iron or copper) to form hydroxyl radicals COH). Hydroxyl radicals are highly reactive and among the strongest oxidizing agents known [8,9]. with ferrous iron this reaction is commonly referred to as the Fenton reaction [10] and is expressed as: $$F{{e}^{{ + 2}}} + {{H}_{2}}{{O}_{2}} \to F{{e}^{{ + 3}}} + {}^{\bullet }OH + {}^{ - }OH$$ (1) Considerable evidence from many studies has shown that ascorbic acid (Asc) act both as an anti-oxldant and as a pro-oxidant. Its anti-oxidant properties are typically seen at high concentrations where it can function enzymatical ly in the scavenging of hydrogen peroxide, and nonenzymatical ly where it directly reduces free radicals [4,9,11]. Its pro-oxidative properties are related to its ability to reduce transition metals [12,13,14]: $$As{{c}_{{red}}} + F{{e}^{{ + 3}}} \to As{{c}_{{ox}}} + F{{e}^{{ + 2}}}$$ (2) Reactions (1) plus (2) yield: $$As{{c}_{{red}}} + {{H}_{2}}{{O}_{2}} \to As{{c}_{{ox}}} + {}^{ - }OH + {}^{\bullet }OH$$ (3) . Therefore, ascorbate may indirectly play a role in photoinhibition by acting as a metal reductant.
Practices more likely to occur in kindergarten mathematics teachers’ instruction when English learners are present

Abstract Considering the rising proportion of English learners (ELs) in general education, little is known about how this change in classroom composition relates to the frequency of instructional activities and skills. This study uses a multimodal perspective on learning mathematics in a multilingual context, which recognizes the diverse modes of communication that students draw on in mathematics classrooms. We examined national data using quantitative analyses and investigated the mathematics practices that were more likely to occur in kindergarten classrooms that did and did not have ELs. We found teachers reported greater frequency of manipulatives and count/calendar activities in mathematics instruction when there were EL students in the classroom. Teachers in classrooms with ELs also reported a greater frequency of mathematics content that involved teaching shapes and practical skills. The findings indicate that teachers tended towards a supportive multimodal approach to instruction when ELs were present.
Large-Scale Volumetric Scene Reconstruction using LiDAR

Large-scale 3D scene reconstruction is an important task in autonomous driving and other robotics applications as having an accurate representation of the environment is necessary to safely interact with it. Reconstructions are used for numerous tasks ranging from localization and mapping to planning. In robotics, volumetric depth fusion is the method of choice for indoor applications since the emergence of commodity RGB-D cameras due to its robustness and high reconstruction quality. In this work we present an approach for volumetric depth fusion using LiDAR sensors as they are common on most autonomous cars. We present a framework for large-scale mapping of urban areas considering loop closures. Our method creates a meshed representation of an urban area from recordings over a distance of 3.7km with a high level of detail on consumer graphics hardware in several minutes. The whole process is fully automated and does not need any user interference. We quantitatively evaluate our results from a real world application. Also, we investigate the effects of the sensor model that we assume on reconstruction quality by using synthetic data.
Multiscale Investigations of RC Shear Wall Buildings

The precise description of reinforced concrete shear wall (RCSW) systems under severe dynamic loading remains a difficult research question owing to the intrinsically multi-scale underlying mechani...
Norovirus detection in water samples at the level of single virus copies per microliter using a smartphone-based fluorescence microscope.

Norovirus is a widespread public health threat and has a very low infectious dose. This protocol presents the extremely sensitive mobile detection of norovirus from water samples using a custom-built smartphone-based fluorescence microscope and a paper microfluidic chip. Antibody-conjugated fluorescent particles are immunoagglutinated and spread over the paper microfluidic chip by capillary action for individual counting using a smartphone-based fluorescence microscope. Smartphone images are analyzed using intensity- and size-based thresholding for the elimination of background noise and autofluorescence as well as for the isolation of immunoagglutinated particles. The resulting pixel counts of particles are correlated with the norovirus concentration of the tested sample. This protocol provides detailed guidelines for the construction and optimization of the smartphone- and paper-based assay. In addition, a 3D-printed enclosure is presented to incorporate all components in a dark environment. On-chip concentration and the assay of higher concentrations are presented to further broaden the assay range. This method is the first to be presented as a highly sensitive mobile platform for norovirus detection using low-cost materials. With all materials and reagents prepared, a single standard assay takes under 20 min. Although the method described is used for detection of norovirus, the same protocol could be adapted for detection of other pathogens by using different antibodies. This protocol enables the sensitive detection of norovirus from environmental water samples in situ using a custom-built smartphone-based fluorescence microscope to detect anti-norovirus antibody-conjugated fluorescent particles on a paper microfluidic chip.
Prospective evaluation of optical coherence tomography for disease detection in the Casey mobile eye clinic

This study was designed to evaluate iVue Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) effectiveness in screening for eye disease compared to clinical examination. Subjects were recruited f...
Myopericarditis after Covid-19 Vaccination – a Case Series

Myopericarditis has been observed among individuals receiving the BNT162b2-mRNA and mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccines.1,2 In this case series, we describe the initial experience with myopericarditis following COVID-19 vaccination across the largest healthcare system in Connecticut.
Current Trends in Adolescent Health

Over the past three decades, there have been two major demographic shifts among those in the second decade of life. Since the adolescent population (10 to 19 years of age) peaked in 1976 as a consequence of the postwar “baby boom,” the population of young people declined steadily at a rate of approximately 2% per year until 1985. However, in the years between 1985 and 1991, the decline slowed to only 2% over that entire period (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1993; Hollmann, 1993). In 1992, there were over 35 million young people between the ages of 10 and 19 in the United States, representing 14% of the population (Hollmann, 1993). Over the past few years, the decline has reversed; and by 2020, there will be 43 million teenagers in the United States (Figure 1) (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1993; Hollmann, 1993; Campbell, 1994).
Building and exploiting user models

This paper describes the issues involved in building and exploiting individual user models in order to guide the performance of an interactive system. A system called Grundy, that recommends novels to people, is described and analyzed as a forum in which to explore those issues. One of the major techniques exploited in Grundy is the use of stereotypes as a mechanism for quickly producing an initial approximation to a model of the user. Experiments with the system show that despite the fact that stereotypes are inherently imperfect, their use does contibute significantly to the system's ability to build useful models of its users.
Opening the window to odor space.

When a huge family of protein receptors was found in the nose in the early 1990s, a rapid understanding of how we detect odors was expected. But progress has been slow, partly because we have no way of assigning compounds that we smell to their correct receptor. In his commentary, Reed describes how this situation has changed with a report in this week's issue. [ Zhao et al ][1] identify the receptor for the odorant n -octanal by causing cells in the living animal to express certain receptors by genetic engineering. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/279/5348/237
Book Review: Damned for Their Difference: The Cultural Construction of Deaf People as Disabled

Author: Jan Branson and Don Miller Reviewer: Albert B. Robillard, Ph.D. Publisher: Gallaudet University Press, 2002 Cost: Paperback $34.95 ISBN : 1-56368-121-8
Spiral rectal valves: Anatomy, eponyms, and clinical significance

Rectal wall valves are obscure anatomic parts that rarely are considered in current medical practice. Yet from the seminal analysis of them in the early nineteenth century by the Irish anatomist and surgeon, John Houston, their structure, purpose, and clinical significance were topics of surprising disagreement. Were they true structures? What function might they have? Did disease originate in rectal valves? Were special operations required for any such diseases? Because Houston's anatomic analyses of rectal valves were substantiated, they came to be known in the English literature as the Spiral Rectal Valves of Houston. In the mid-nineteenth century, a single mid-rectal valve was described by the Hanoverian, Otto Kohlrausch., creating confusion with the established eponym “Houston's Valves.” Many hypotheses about rectal valves have been discredited; and their physiologic functions are still unknown. Clin. Anat. 28:436–441, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Far infrared Ga/sub 1-x/In/sub x/Sb/InAs-based strained-layer superlattice detectors grown by OMVPE

Strained-layer, type-II Ga/sub 1-x/In/sub x/Sb/InAs superlattice detectors operating at 9 /spl mu/m have been grown for the first time by OMVPE. In all reported literature thus far, MBE has been exclusively used to grow this particular material system. In the present research, the material was grown by an atmospheric pressure OMVPE reactor using high purity metallorganic precursors (TM Ga, TMSb, TMIn and TBAs). A 300 /spl Aring/ of Ga/sub 1-x/In/sub x/Sb buffer layer was grown on n-GaAs(100) substrate followed by 20 periods (60 /spl Aring/ Ga/sub 0.6/In/sub 0.4/Sb/60 /spl Aring/ InAs) superlattice. A 300 /spl Aring/ InAs was grown as the capping layer. The growth took place at 600/spl deg/C with a precracker temperature of 140/spl deg/C. The absorbance characteristics measured by FTIR showed a shift in the cutoff wavelength /spl lambda/ from 1.8 /spl mu/m to 2.5 /spl mu/m when the In mole fraction was varied from 0.1 to 0.4 in Ga/sub 1-x/In/sub x/Sb layer. The use of InAs in Ga/sub 0.6/In/sub 0.4/Sb/InAs structures introduces strain and /spl lambda/ shifts from 2.5 /spl mu/m to 9 /spl mu/m as confirmed by FTIR. An increase in the number of superlattice periods (from 5 to 20) resulted in an enhanced absorbance edge. p-n photodiodes were fabricated by establishing AuGe/Ni/AuGe contacts on InAs and n-GaAs. The samples were sintered at 430/spl deg/C for 10 minutes in N/sub 2/ ambient. The samples were measured to show good I-V and R-V characteristics. The detector was edge-excited using white light to show change in conductance. The measured leakage current (1 mA<at a bias of -0.2 V) and was attributed to the lattice mismatch between GaAs and Ga/sub 0.6/In/sub 0.4/Sb (/spl sim/8%). A reduction in leakage current (or, improved electrical characteristics) is currently under investigation using a GaSb substrate.
Mutant cadherin affects epithelial morphogenesis and invasion, but not transformation

MDCK cells were engineered to reversibly express mutant E-cadherin protein with a large extracellular deletion. Mutant cadherin overexpression reduced the expression of endogenous E- and K-cadherins in MDCK cells to negligible levels, resulting in decreased cell adhesion. Despite severe impairment of the cadherin adhesion system, cells overexpressing mutant E-cadherin formed fluid-filled cysts in collagen gel cultures and responded to hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) that induced cellular extension formation with a frequency similar to that of control cysts. However, cells were shed from cyst walls into the lumen and into the collagen matrix prior to and during HGF/SF induced tubule extension. Despite the propensity for cell dissociation, MDCK cells lacking cadherin adhesion molecules were not capable of anchorage-independent growth in soft agar and cell proliferation rate was not affected. Thus, cadherin loss does not induce transformation, despite inducing an invasive phenotype, a later stage of tumor progression. These experiments are especially relevant to tumor progression in cells with altered E-cadherin expression, particularly tumor samples with identified E-cadherin extracellular domain genomic mutations.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation and pediatric hypertension screening: dereliction of duty or call to arms?

Most pediatricians would assert that measurement of blood pressure (BP) should be incorporated into the care of all children and adolescents. They know that the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that routine measurement of BP should be done at well toddler, children, and teen visits. Pediatric nephrologists have been more vocal in their advocacy for routine measurement of BP at all encounters because hypertension can be a sign of significant underlying disease and is often asymptomatic. 2 There is no doubt that BP measurement per se is a safe, readily accessible, and low-cost procedure. One might ask whether a practice guideline is needed at all. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has stepped into this seemingly trivial and self-evident area of care and has concluded that “current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms” of screening for high BP in asymptomatic children to prevent heart disease. They assert, based on the literature, that childhood readings do not predict hypertension in later life, and that there is no proven benefit of treatments designed to lower BP in the pediatric years. 3 The clear implication is that BP should not be measured routinely in otherwise healthy children and adolescents. As might be expected, this recommendation has been met with strong opposition among pediatric nephrologists. The American Society of Pediatric Nephrology issued a press release that expressed concern that the USPSTF position will discourage pediatricians from measuring BP and undermine efforts to identify hypertension, especially in those children with disease who are asymptomatic. We are three pediatric nephrologists who think the USPSTF may have done our subspecialty a great service and here is why. The USPSTF report was anticipated in a review by Chiolero and colleagues published earlier this year. 4 Despite the good intentions of most pediatricians and family practitioners, the majority of children do not have their BP checked at routine ambulatory visits and only 80% of obese adolescents attending preventive care visits have their BP measured. 5 Even in pediatric hypertension clinics, the majority of patients have no identifiable underlying secondary disease. 6 Even if there is an underlying cause of hypertension, there is usually no immediate threat to health in otherwise well children. When elevated BP is a medical emergency, there are usually concomitant symptoms indicating the presence of a systemic cause for the hypertension. Malignant hypertension with the risk of sudden deterioration in cardiac or renal function is distinctly uncommon in children. 7 This suggests that there is little risk of a policy that advocates deferring routine measurement of BP in asymptomatic children.
The use of resistance networks and improved estimates of seal resistance to estimate tonoplast conductivity in whole-vacuole patch clamping

Abstract The stability of the seal resistance is a major assumption in patch-clamping making its estimation critical especially in the whole-vacuole configuration. A clamp voltage protocol was used that enhanced the chance of closure of channels in the patch, making possible a better estimate of the seal resistance while in the vacuole-attached configuration. In the whole-vacuole configuration the resistance of the tonoplast was often found to be close in magnitude to the seal resistance, making direct measurement of the tonoplast resistance problematic. Therefore, a resistance network model was used to separate by calculation the influence of the seal resistance from the tonoplast resistance. Using unadjusted data the specific conductance of red beet tonoplast in whole-vacuole configuration was estimated to be 0.507 pS/μm 2 (S.E. = 0.176 pS/μm 2 , n = 8), but after correcting for the influence of the seal and tip resistances the tonoplast specific conductivity was estimated to be 0.365 pS/μm 2 (S.E. = 0.140 pS/μm 2 , n = 8), a 28% shift in the estimate. Careful attention to seal resistance estimation, and correction of data for its influence is suggested for all work involving whole-vacuole patch-clamping.
Peritectic reaction and solidification in iron-nickel alloys

A high-temperature confocal scanning laser microscope (CSLM) has been used to study austenite (γ) precipitation and growth on δ-ferrite during peritectic reaction and solidification in the Fe-Ni system. The two stages of the peritectic transition involving the liquid phase—the reaction, which sees austenite grow along the ferrite/liquid boundary, and the direct solidification of austenite—were observed. It was found that, for both the hypoperitectic (4.2 pct nickel) and hyperperitectic (4.7 pct nickel) alloys, the reaction rate increases with increased undercooling. It was also observed that the reaction rates were faster in the hypoperitectic alloy. However, for both grades, the solidification rate was found to be a function of local-temperature gradients rather than undercooling. Comparisons to available models are made, and a description of possible rate-controlling phenomena is given.
Incidence of diseases among reading failures and nonfailures.

Summary Diseases or defects were found to be 21.1 per cent more frequent among 875 children who were failing in reading than among 486 children who were successful in learning to read. The different classes of diseases encountered and the treatment of reading failure are discussed briefly.
Seismic character of gas hydrates on the Southeastern U.S. continental margin

Gas hydrates are stable at relatively low temperature and high pressure conditions; thus large amounts of hydrates can exist in sediments within the upper several hundred meters below the sea floor. The existence of gas hydrates has been recognized and mapped mostly on the basis of high amplitude Bottom Simulating Reflections (BSRs) which indicate only that an acoustic contrast exists at the lower boundary of the region of gas hydrate stability. Other factors such as amplitude blanking and change in reflection characteristics in sediments where a BSR would be expected, which have not been investigated in detail, are also associated with hydrated sediments and potentially disclose more information about the nature of hydratecemented sediments and the amount of hydrate present. Our research effort has focused on a detailed analysis of multichannel seismic profiles in terms of reflection character, inferred distribution of free gas underneath the BSR, estimation of elastic parameters, and spatial variation of blanking. This study indicates that continuous-looking BSRs in seismic profiles are highly segmented in detail and that the free gas underneath the hydrated sediment probably occurs as patches of gas-filled sediment having variable thickness. We also present an elastic model for various types of sediments based on seismic inversion results. The BSR from sediments of high ratio of shear to compressional velocity, estimated as about 0.52, encased in sediments whose ratios are less than 0.35 is consistent with the interpretation of gasfilled sediments underneath hydrated sediments. This model contrasts with recent results in which the BSR is explained by increased concentrations of hydrate near the base of the hydrate stability field and no underlying free gas is required.
Configuring a multi-course lab for system-level projects

Having students modify an actual operating system kernel or network protocol stack opens their eyes to what is going on "beneath the hood" of a computer. However student modifications to a system may result in an unstable computer. Because of this, giving students such experience has in the past required a lab and/or computers dedicated to the students in the system-level course, and computer science departments without such dedicated facilities have been unable to provide their students with system-level experience. In this paper, we present two ways of giving students system-level experience in a non-dedicated lab; one using commercial software (VMWare), and another using open-source freeware (User Mode Linux Kernel).
Relationship between the lateral acromion angle and rotator cuff disease

One hundred consecutive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of the shoulder obtained for the purpose of evaluating rotator cuff symptoms were retrospectively reviewed to assess the relationship between acromion morphologic appearance and rotator cuff disease. The studies were reviewed simultaneously by two authors. Each cuff was assigned a tendon grade and an overall cuff score with MRI criteria previously described in the literature. A newly described "lateral acromion angle" was measured from a specified oblique coronal cut on each MRI study and was correlated with the corresponding MRI-determined rotator cuff score and supraspinatus tendon grade. Observed correlations were analyzed by using statistical methods. The average measured lateral acromion angle was 78°, with a range from 64° to 99°. Eight shoulders had angles less than or equal to 70°, and all eight of these patients were found to have full-thickness rotator cuff tears. As the lateral acromion angle decreased, a statistically significant increase in rotator cuff disease was noted ( p p p =0.12). Surgical correlation with MRI rotator cuff findings in 35 patients showed an MRI sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 83%. A statistically significant correlation between the lateral acromion angle and MRI-determined rotator cuff disease has been noted. The described angle may be a useful adjuvant in the evaluation and management of rotator cuff disease.
Dual conductive network-enabled graphene/Si-C composite anode with high areal capacity for lithium-ion batteries

Silicon has been regarded as one of the most promising alternatives to the current commercial graphite anode for Li-ion batteries due to its high theoretical capacity and abundance. Although high gravimetric capacity (mAh/g) of Si-based materials can be achieved, areal capacity (mAh/ cm 2 ), an indication of the energy stored at the electrode level, has rarely been discussed.
A Link between the Hiatus in Global Warming and North American Drought

AbstractPortions of western North America have experienced prolonged drought over the last decade. This drought has occurred at the same time as the global warming hiatus—a decadal period with little increase in global mean surface temperature. Climate models and observational analyses are used to clarify the dual role of recent tropical Pacific changes in driving both the global warming hiatus and North American drought. When observed tropical Pacific wind stress anomalies are inserted into coupled models, the simulations produce persistent negative sea surface temperature anomalies in the eastern tropical Pacific, a hiatus in global warming, and drought over North America driven by SST-induced atmospheric circulation anomalies. In the simulations herein the tropical wind anomalies account for 92% of the simulated North American drought during the recent decade, with 8% from anthropogenic radiative forcing changes. This suggests that anthropogenic radiative forcing is not the dominant driver of the curre...
Light and ultrastructural relationship between oxytalan fibers in the periodontal ligament of the guinea pig

The interfaces and the relationships between collagen and oxytalan fibers were observed d light and electron microscopy. Guinea pig periodontal ligament was prepared for light and electron microscopy with perfusion using Peter's buffered formalin for light microscopy and GTA-S-collidine and OSO4 for electron microscopic studies. The tissue for light microscopy was stained with a modified Gomori's aldehyde fuchsin technique, in which pre-oxidization with potassium monopersulfate was carried out before staining so as to demonstrate the oxytalan fibers. EM tissues were routinely stained with lead citrate and uranyl acetate. Two different structural relationships were observed. First, the subcomponents of the collagen and oxytalan fiber types interweave with each other; and, second, some of these two-fiber subcomponents appear attached to each other. These relationships and the known orientation of oxytalan fibers as seen in the periodontal ligament provide insight as to the function of oxytalan fibers. The oxytalan fibers may provide increased structural integrity and increased distribution of forces over a wider area of the periodontal ligament. Because of their close relationship to blood and lymph vessels in the periodontal ligament, they may also help to stabilize these elements by the same structural relationships to collagen fibers.
Measurement of Fourier components of two-particle correlations in PbPb collisions at √{ s} = 2.76TeV with CMS

Abstract These proceedings present the results from azimuthal angle correlations of charged hadrons measured in s N N = 2.76 TeV PbPb collisions by the CMS experiment at the LHC. Two-particle correlation functions are shown in 2D for multiple centralities. The factorization assumption of the anisotropy parameters from two-particle correlations is directly tested for various centralities and p T trig ranges. Higher order azimuthal anisotropy coefficients are also extracted from two-particle correlations and presented as a function of N part for three separate p T trig ranges.
Intravesical Botulinum a Toxin is More Cost-Effective Than Sacral Neuromodulation for Treatment of Refractory Urge Incontinence

A Markov decision model was constructed for urge incontinence using two treatment algorithms: sacral neuromodulation and botulinum A toxin injection(s). In each scenario, the “patients” were observed and treated, if necessary, every 3 months for 2 years. Rates of efficacy and treatment-specific adverse event rates were extracted from the MEDLINE database by identifying relevant articles from 1980 to 2008. Comparison of cost and effectiveness, measured in quality-adjusted life-years (QUALYs), between the two treatments was accomplished by developing base case estimates and utility scores for outcomes. The primary outcome was the incremental costeffectiveness ratio calculated in the following manner:
Neural cell adhesion molecule is on embryonic muscle cells and mediates adhesion to nerve cells in vitro

The interaction of nerves with muscles, particularly at neuromuscular junctions, is one of the most extensively studied areas of neurophysiology. From the point of view of developmental biology, however, little is known about the cellular and molecular events that lead to formation of these junctions1,2. In previous investigations of cell-cell adhesion in the chick embryo, we identified a molecule on the surface of essentially all nerve cells, called neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM)3,4, that appears to be a ligand in the formation of cell-cell bonds5. N-CAM is involved in a variety of developmental processes including neurite fasciculation and the formation of plexiform and cell layers in retinal tissue6–8. We report here that N-CAM antigenic determinants are also present on chick embryo skeletal muscle cells. This observation raised the possibility that N-CAM is involved in adhesion between nerve and muscle cells. In model systems set up to explore this possibility, we observed that myoblasts will adhere in vitro to nerve cells from retina, and that this adhesion can be inhibited by F(ab′) fragments of antibodies against N-CAM. In addition, membrane vesicles obtained from chick embryo brain or artificial vesicles5 reconstituted from lipid and affinity-purified N-CAM9 bound to the surface of myoblasts and myotubes; this binding was also blocked by anti-N-CAM F(ab′). These results suggest that the N-CAM adhesion system can facilitate nerve-muscle as well as nerve-nerve interactions in vitro.
Retinal-tectal connections in the embryonic chick: evidence for regionally specific cell surface components which mimic the pattern of innervation.

Abstract Supernatant solutions obtained from chick embryo optic lobe cultures contain macromolecular components which specifically interact with cells obtained from neural retina in a way which reflects the in vivo pattern of innervation of the tectum by retinal axons. [ 14 C]Glucosamine-labeled supernatants were prepared from either dorsal and ventral or anterior and posterior optic-lobe halves and tested for their ability to bind to and inhibit cap formation of Concanavalin A receptors on cells prepared from dorsal, ventral, nasal, or temporal retina quadrants. In all cases, preferential binding and inhibition of cap formation can be correlated with the pattern of innervation of the optic lobes by retinal fibers.
The Tortilla-Mercedes Divide in Los Angeles

Abstract The Tortilla-Mercedes Divide is the social and economic separation between the more affluent White and poorer Mexican populations in greater Los Angeles. The Divide has existed for over a century and is probably at least as strong today as in the past. Although some social processes are working to weaken the Divide, during the last three decades these processes have been counterbalanced by demographic, cultural, and economic trends that tend to exacerbate the Divide. The growing income gap between Whites and Mexicans is particularly pronounced. Mexican-White residential segregation is moderately high and has been rising slightly. Developing closer personal contact between Whites and Mexicans, improving the employment skills of Mexicans through education, and reducing the in-flow of less educated immigrants might conceivably diminish the Divide. As of the present, efforts in these directions have not been effective.
Cardiovascular effects of leukotriene D4 in SHR and WKY rats.

Leukotriene D4 (LTD4, 0.8–4 μg/kg i.a.) increased blood pressure and heart rate of conscious SHR and WKY rats LTD4, 20 μg/kg (i.a.), caused a short lasting increase in blood pressure and heart rate in WKY. In SHR, LTD4, 20 μg/kg (i.a.) caused a triphasic effect: hypotension and bradycardia (0.5–1 min), hypertension and tachycardia (2–5 min) and prolonged hypotension and bradycardia (5–180 min). Leukopenia was observed after LTD4, 20 μg/kg in both groups of rats but platelets count was unaffected. These results show that SHR are more sensitive than WKY to the hypotension-bradycardic effect of LTD4.
Ethical Analysis of the Kinetic and Quiddity Existence Need Theory (KQENT) in Multicultural Organizations

Abstract This study analyzes ethical development, growth and enhanced conditions for continuity of the employees' needs in multicultural organizations. In reality human life is composed of two existing needs: physical and spiritual. The physical is composed of the kinetic needs and the spiritual is based upon the quiddity needs. This paper examines both sets of needs. Nature is bounded with three domains of existence; Universal Intelligent Order, Global Operational Order, and Cultural Dynamic Order. The matrix context of the KQENT has illuminated causal, processing and effective levels of the employees' needs in multicultural organizations.
Basic carboxyl groups of hemoglobin S: Influence of oxy-deoxy conformation on the chemical reactivity of Glu-43(β)

The γ-carboxyl groups of Glu-43(β) and Glu-22(β) of hemoglobin-S (HbS), two intermolecular contact residues of deoxy protein, are activated by carbodiimide atp H 6.0. The selectivity of the modification by the two nucleophiles, glycine ethyl ester (GEE) and glucosamine, is distinct. Influence ofN-hydroxysulfosuccinimide, a reagent that rescues carbodiimide-activated carboxyl (O-acyl isourea) as sulfo-NHS ester, on the overall selectivity and efficiency of the coupling of Glu-22(β) and Glu-43(β) with nucleophiles has been investigated. Sulfo-NHS increases the extent of coupling of nucleophiles to HbS. The rescuing efficiency of sulfo-NHS(increase in modification) with GEE and galactosamine as nucleophiles is 2.0 and 2.8, respectively. In the presence of sulfo-NHS, the extent of modification of a carboxyl group is a direct reflection of the extent to which it is activated (i.e., the protonation state of the carboxyl group). The modification reaction exhibits very high selectivity for Glu-43(β) with GEE and galactosamine (GA) in the presence of sulfo-NHS. From the studies of the kinetics of amidation of oxy-HbS at its Glu-43(β) (i.e., chemical reactivity) as a function of thepH in the region of 5.5–7.5, the apparentpKa of its γ-carboxyl group has been calculated to be 6.35. Deoxygenation of HbS, nearly doubles the chemical reactivity of Glu-43(β) of HbS atpH 7.0. It is suggested that the increased hydrophobicity of the microenvironment of Glu-43(β), which occurs on deoxygenation of the protein, is reflected as the increased chemical reactivity of the γ-carboxyl group and could be one of the crucial preludes to the polymerization process.
Spectral weight changes at the superconducting transition of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ

Abstract We overview our recent angle-resolved photoemission studies of the spectral weight changes that occur at the superconducting transition of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ. We have found that (1) as the sample goes superconducting, not only is there spectral weight transfer from the gap region to the pile-up as in BCS theory, but along the τ-M direction there is also some spectral weight transfer from higher binding energies in the form of a dip, (2) at the superconducting transition there is a decrease (increase) in the occupied spectral weight for the spectra taken along τ-M (τ-X), (3) the magnitude of the superconducting energy gap appears to be anisotropic in the kxy plane, and (4) for the overdoped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ samples that we studied the gap Δ appears to fall off much more rapidly with doping than does the Tc. Recent theoretical attempts to understand our data are briefly reviewed.
Human apolipoprotein L1 (ApoL1) in cancer and chronic kidney disease

Human apolipoprotein L1 (ApoL1) possesses both extra- and intra-cellular functions crucial in host defense and cellular homeostatic mechanisms. Alterations in ApoL1 function due to genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors have been associated with African sleeping sickness, atherosclerosis, lipid disorders, obesity, schizophrenia, cancer, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Importantly, two alleles of APOL1 carrying three coding-sequence variants have been linked to CKD, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africans and African Americans. Intracellularly, elevated ApoL1 can induce autophagy and autophagy-associated cell death, which may be critical in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis in the kidney. Similarly, ApoL1 may protect kidney cells against renal cell carcinoma (RCC). We summarize the role of ApoL1 in RCC and CKD, highlighting the critical function of ApoL1 in autophagy.
Problems of pain reference to the extremities their diagnosis and treatment

Abstract Pain reference into the extremities may be of nerve, root, or cord origin. When a distinct peripheral nerve pattern cannot be established, the clinician must analyze the character and location of the pain to determine whether it is anatomic to the nervous structures or whether it follows the vascular pattern. Appropriate measures for the relief of pain will depend upon the structures involved. The ascending spinal anesthesia test and careful neurologic studies may be required before determining what surgical method to use. A patient claiming to suffer pain should not be classed as a “functional” or “psychalgic” type merely because the mechanism of pain is not at once obvious. Satisfactory results from surgical measures, for relief of pain, can only be expected when the pain mechanism and its pathways are clearly understood and interruption of the proper fibers at the proper levels carefully undertaken.
Nonlinear laser microscopy

Summary form only given. Molecular excitation by simultaneous absorption of two or more infrared photons from strongly focused 100-fs pulses from mode-locked lasers provides intrinsic 3D resolution for fluorescence microscopy and photochemical micro pharmacology in living biological cells.
The Use of Technology for Large-scale Education Planning and Decision-making

In 2007, Nigeria made history by launching the Conditional Grants Scheme CGS, one of the world's largest poverty elimination campaigns aimed at achieving the Millennium Development Goals MDGs by 2015. As part of CGS, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President of Nigeria on the MDGs OSSAP-MDGs collaborated with The Earth Institute, Columbia University to develop the Nigeria MDG Information System NMIS, a web-based platform designed to support data-driven decision-making, local-level planning, and budgeting by Local Government Areas. This paper discusses the evolution of NMIS as a data repository and describes its uses. NMIS maps and visually displays school-related data that can be used for education planning. NMIS illustrates the integration of educational and technological innovations and demonstrates ways in which challenges related to Education Management Information Systems can be overcome. NMIS could serve as a good example for other developing countries that seek to create large databases for public planning. This paper shares lessons learned in terms of the content, design, and potential uses of such information systems for local-level education planning. This paper concludes by highlighting that a data system alone is not sufficient to ensure effective analysis and use of data and multiple rounds of end-user training and case studies must accompany the system.
Job turnover intentions among Certified Pharmacy Technicians.

ABSTRACT Objective To describe the job withdrawal intentions of a nationwide sample of Certified Pharmacy Technicians (CPhTs). Design Cross-sectional descriptive design. Setting A random sample of 3,200 CPhTs whose names and contact information were acquired from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. Interventions Mailed survey. Main Outcome Measures Responses to questions eliciting job withdrawal intentions, reasons for remaining/staying with the employer, and various quality of worklife attitudes. Employment intentions were regressed over quality of worklife and practice environment variables in a forward-conditional logistic regression procedure. Results Nearly 4 in 5 respondents indicated intentions to remain with the current employer during the next 12months. Relationships with coworkers, good benefits, and work schedule were frequently cited as reasons to stay. Poor salary, lack of advancement opportunity, and insufficient staffing were cited frequently as factors among those indicating intentions to leave. Mean hourly wages differed among respondents with intention to leave due to salary, those not citing salary as a reason to remain or leave, and those citing salary as a reason for staying. Intention to remain was associated with higher pay, perceived employer support, number of years with the current employer, and lower career turnover intentions, with organizational commitment acting as a powerful mediator for all of the variables. Conclusion Differences in CPhTs' future employment intentions were described more comprehensively by perceptions of the employing organization than by perceptions of managers/supervisors and coworkers or personal/work environment variables. Implications for pharmacy organizations are discussed.
Accurate Valuation in the Absence of Markets

Incomplete markets do not provide accurate information about people's subjective valuations of goods. Knowledge of these subjective valuations is often important, however, for example when compensation payments for damaged or destroyed property are required. We argue that in such cases, an attractive measure of the value of a good is the reservation price of the owner, who is generally the person who values it most highly. If a property is sufficiently unique so that there is no market price that can be used as an approximation, then the only way to learn this subjective reservation price is to have the owner self-assess his property. We describe a mechanism that provides an incentive for the owner to self-assess his property honestly without requiring that the property's value be objectively observable.
A Fast Time Convolution Algorithm for Unsteady Heat Diffusion Problems

A new algorithm is developed to evaluate the time convolution integrals that are associated with boundary element methods (BEM) for transient diffusion. This approach, which is based upon the multi-level multi-integration concepts of Brandt and Lubrecht, provides a fast, accurate and memory efficient time domain method for this entire class of problems. Conventional BEM approaches result in operation counts of order O(N2 ) for the discrete time convolution over N time steps. Here we focus on the formulation for linear problems of transient heat diffusion and demonstrate reduced computational complexity to order O(N3/2 ) for a couple of two-dimensional model problems using the multi-level convolution BEM. Memory requirements are also significantly reduced, while maintaining the same level of accuracy as the conventional time domain BEM approach.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Responses of Lyngbya magnifica Gardner to an algaecide exposure in the laboratory and field.

Abstract Predicting responses of organisms exposed to toxic materials in the field from results produced in laboratory studies and confirming those predictions has been a central question in aquatic toxicology since its inception. A field treatment of a cyanobacterium and laboratory measurements of responses to algaecide exposures provided an opportunity to address that question. This research involved predicting the response of Lyngbya magnifica to an algaecide exposure (Phycomycin ® SCP) in the laboratory and evaluating that prediction with a comparable exposure in the field. Based on the results from initial laboratory experiments, an effective algaecide and concentration (i.e. 92 mg Phycomycin ® SCP/g algae) were selected for field application in a farm pond. L. magnifica chlorophyll a and biomass were measured initially and 1, 4, 7, 10, and 21 days after treatment (DAT) for both laboratory and field exposures. Measurements of chlorophyll a decreases in the field treatment at 7, 10, and 21 days after treatment were significantly greater than responses obtained in similar laboratory exposures of Phycomycin ® SCP. Biomass was significantly decreased in the field at 21 DAT compared to laboratory measurements. This approach can be effective for site specific predictions and can provide valuable information for informed decisions regarding water resource management and should be included in a management plan for increased product efficiency and ecological safety.
FROM DISCRETE DETERMINISTIC DYNAMICS TO BROWNIAN MOTIONS

Two types of point particles, large and small, with state space ℝd are considered, where d ≥ 2 and "large" and "small" refer to different masses. The small particles move deterministically with very large initial velocities. They transfer their momenta to the large particles through a smooth mean field interaction which completely determines the motion of the large particles. The joint dynamics is described in a spacetime lattice by an Euler scheme for coupled oscillators with a friction term for the large particles. This lattice defines the mesoscale for the system. A scaling limit leads to a replacement of the mesoscale by the macroscale as follows: The very large initial velocities are assumed to be independent and they let a small particle interact with a large particle only for a short time, after which the particle escapes to infinity and new particles start interacting with the large particles. Thus, the initial spatial independence of the small particles causes independence in the time increments of the velocities of the large particles. Therefore, as the friction of the large particles and the speed of the small particles tend to infinity in this scaling limit, the positions of the large particles become the positions of spatially correlated Brownian motions whose correlations can be computed from the interaction force. A similar result holds for a system without friction, where the velocities of the large particles become spatially correlated Brownian motions.