cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Food or medicine: ethnic variations in perceptions of advanced cancer patients and their caregivers regarding artificial hydration during the last weeks of life

Purpose To identify whether advanced cancer patients receiving home hospice care and their primary caregivers view artificial hydration (AH) as food or medicine, and the demographic and clinical factors influencing these perceptions. Methods Participants were enrolled in a randomised, double-blind controlled trial examining the efficacy of AH in cancer hospice patients. In-depth interviews at days 1 and 4 of study enrolment explored the meanings attributed to AH at the end of life. Responses to the question, ‘Are these fluids more like food or more like medicine?’ were categorised as ‘food’, ‘medicine’, ‘both’ or ‘other’. χ 2 analyses were conducted with data from 122 interviews (54 patients and 68 caregivers) to identify differences between patients and caregivers, and by gender, age, ethnicity and caregiver relationship. Predictors of perceptions were identified using logistic regression analysis. Results Overall, 47 participants (38%) understood the fluids to be more like food, 41 (34%) as medicine, 17 (14%) as both, and 17 (14%) as ‘other’. Ethnic minority participants (n=34, 66%) were significantly more likely than non-Hispanic European Americans (n=30, 42%) to view AH as food, or both as food and medicine (p=0.034). Ethnic differences persisted in the final regression model (OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.3 to 5.7, p=0.010). No significant differences were detected between patients and caregivers, or across gender, age, caregivers9 relationship to the patients, group assignment, disease severity or cancer type. Conclusions AH was perceived as food/nutrition by many cancer patients and caregivers in the study, particularly among ethnic minorities. This perception may lead to greater distress if fluids are discontinued or withheld. Asking patients/caregivers about their AH perceptions may enhance patient/provider communication and culturally appropriate end-of-life care.
Chronic diarrhea of childhood and the misuse ofelimination diets

A prospective study was undertaken of 108 children referred for outpatient evaluation of chronic recurrent diarrhea. The majority of the children did not have a serious underlying disorder. Elimination diets (milk free, egg free, wheat free) were widely prescribed for the treatment of chronic diarrhea and were given for longer intervals than originally recommended. Elimination diets sometimes resulted in inadequate caloric intake and failure to thrive. Wheat (gluten)-free diets were prescribed for over one month in 59% of children without a specific diagnosis being made. These findings indicate that elimination diets are frequently misused, and prolonged adherence to elimination diets may result in nutritional damage. The indiscriminate use of wheat-free diets for the treatment of chronic diarrhea may be masking the diagnosis of celiac disease and may account for the low incidence of this disorder in the United States.
Comparison of antibody and cell-mediated immune responses of foals and adult horses after vaccination with live Mycobacterium bovis BCG

Abstract Background Equine neonates have reduced humoral and cell-mediated immune responses compared to adult horses after administration of killed vaccines. As a basis for this study, we hypothesized that newborn foals can mount strong immune responses after vaccination with live Mycobacterium bovis BCG. Methods Healthy 4-day-old foals ( n = 7), 4-month-old foals ( n = 7) and adult horses ( n = 6) were vaccinated once with live M. bovis BCG. Age-matched animals ( n = 5 per group) were used as unvaccinated controls. Relative vaccine-specific immunoglobulin concentrations and whole blood mRNA expression of IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-10 were measured prior to and 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after vaccination. Eight weeks after vaccination, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses were assessed by measuring the increase in double skin thickness after intradermal injection of purified protein derivative. Results Both groups of foals and adult horses responded with a significant increase in vaccine-specific total IgG, IgGa, IgGc, IgG(T), and IgM concentrations. In contrast, only adult horses mounted significant IgGb responses. Vaccine-specific concentrations of total IgG and IgGa were significantly higher in adult horses than in 4-day-old foals whereas IgGc responses were significantly higher in 4-day-old foals than in the other two age groups. Adult horses had significantly higher basal IFN-γ and IL-4 mRNA expression than both groups of foals but vaccination with M. bovis BCG did not significantly increase expression of these cytokines, regardless of age group. Immunized horses had significantly higher DTH responses than age-matched unvaccinated controls. DTH responses were significantly greater in both groups of vaccinated foals than in vaccinated adult horses. Conclusion Despite a naive immune system, newborn foals have the ability to mount robust antibody and cell-mediated immune responses to M. bovis BCG.
Effect of lithium on bone metabolism in organ culture.

The effects of lithium on bone metabolism were determined using different organ culture models for the study of resorption and collagen synthesis. At concentrations of 3 × 10-3– 10-2 M, lithium blocked the stimulation of 45Ca and lysosomal enzyme release by parathyroid hormone (PTH) but did not affect bone resorption in control cultures in the absence of PTH. Lithium inhibition was observed in continuous culture with PTH or when bones were exposed to both agents for only 8 h. Lithium was less effective in inhibiting resorption of bones pretreated with PTH, and pretreatment with lithium did not prevent subsequent stimulation of bone resorption by PTH. Lithium did not inhibit the incorporation of labeled proline in collagen and noncollagen protein or of labeled thymidine into DNA.
Exploring Pathogenetic Mechanisms Using Transgenic Animals

Molecular technologies for the permanent germ-line transformation of animals are now well established and routine. These new strains of animals, called transgenic, offer an unprecedented opportunity to gain a basic understanding of human genetic disorders. In this brief review we discuss the role of transgenic animals in the creation of new models of human disease and their experimental use in biomedical research. Models are now available for the study of the genetic processes involved in the pathogenesis of neoplasia, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and developmental abnormalities. Many others are available and new ones are being produced at a great rate. Principles of gene replacement therapy are amenable to analysis with transgenic animals and the information gained will be important for the development of rational therapy.
Discrimination of Metamorphic and Metasomatic Processes at the Broken Hill Pb-Zn-Ag Deposit, Australia: Rare Earth Element Signatures of Garnet-Rich Rocks

Garnet occurs in a variety of rock types spatially related to the giant stratiform Paleoproterozoic Broken Hill lead-zinc-silver deposit, Australia. The deposit was metamorphosed to granulite facies conditions and subjected to at least five periods of deformation (D1–D5). Sulfides at Broken Hill are commonly associated with quartz garnetite, garnetite, and blue quartz gahnite-garnet rock. The origin of quartz garnetite and garnetite is controversial. Proposed models include: metamorphism of manganiferous sediments formed by submarine hydrothermal processes that mixed with aluminous pelagic sediments; metamorphism of an original detrital sediment; metasomatic mobilization of Mn between the sulfide lenses and the wall rocks either synpeak (D1–D2) or postpeak metamorphism (D3); and reaction of Mn derived from partially melted sulfide orebodies with the surrounding pelitic gneisses. REE patterns of whole-rock samples of garnetite and quartz garnetite show high light rare earth element/heavy rare earth element (LREE/HREE) ratios. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns, based on analyses of garnet in garnetite and quartz-garnetite and some samples of blue quartz gahnite-garnet rock, using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) techniques, generally show very low LREE/HREE ratios, flat HREE signatures, and low overall REE contents (<100 ppm). HREE are incorporated in garnet, whereas LREE likely occur in intergranular material between garnet grains and in monazite, zircon, and apatite inclusions in garnet or along grain boundaries. Garnetite and fine-grained quartz garnetite show positive and negative Eu anomalies, respectively. Coarse metasomatic garnet surrounding D3 quartz veins, and metasomatic garnet in quartz garnetite halos around lead-rich orebodies, remobilized quartz garnetite and some blue quartz gahnite-garnet rocks, show positive and negative Eu anomalies, variable HREE, low to moderate LREE/HREE ratios, and arcuate patterns. The REE signature of garnet in garnetite and quartz garnetite is characteristic of metamorphic garnet with Eu anomalies reflecting relative inputs of detrital to hydrothermal components in a premetamorphic protolith, f O2 conditions, and temperature, whereas arcuate HREE signatures are characteristic of metasomatic garnet that formed postpeak metamorphism. The REE chemistry of garnet is consistent with mineralogical, petrological, and structural studies that demonstrate garnetite and quartz garnetite are metamorphosed sediments that formed by submarine hydrothermal processes.
Estimating the finite displacement using moments

Abstract We present an efficient method to estimate the image motion from the silhouette of an object across two frames. The method utilizes the change of moments up to the second order, plus the silhouette itself. Since the method utilizes the global measurement over the entire object, it is less sensitive to the noise and other digitization effects than the methods which rely on the local measurement.
683 E-ROSETTE-FORMING CELLS (E RFC) AND Tγ CELLS (SUPPRESSOR T) PRECURSORS IN CORD BLOOD LYMPHOCYTES (CBL). RESPONSIVENESS TO THYMOSIN FRACTION

CBL “null” cells prepared by nylon column filtration and E rosette depletion constitute roughly 10% of the total Ficoll-Hypaque separated mononuclear cells. This subset, although heterogeneous, is constituted mainly of cells (80%) which possess human T lymphocyte differentiation antigens and/or receptors for the Fc portion of IgG (45% to 58%). Following incubation of CBL*with thymosin (Fraction V), the following changes were seen: E RFC increased from 9% ± 10 to 28% ± 15 (p < .05); Tγ increased from 58.5% ± 14 to 66. 8% ± 12 (p < .05). Employing a double rosette assay using a chicken erythrocyte-IgG complex (CEA) developed in our laboratory, instead of sheep erythrocyte-IgG complex (sheep EA), there was an increase only in the Tγ precursors from 45% ± 7 to 88% ± 5.6 (p < .02), but not in E RFC nor in double rosettes. Since 5 adult peripheral blood specimens tested showed an average of 5.5% double rosettes, we doubt that steric hindrance is the cause of this observation. Rather, the Tγ precursor appears to be more avid for CEA than the mature Tγ cell, or Fc receptors induced by thymosin appear before E receptors. This subset could be a regulator of maternal-fetal immune responses and play an important role in plasma cell differentiation in the fetus.
Comparison of liquid rocket engine base region heat flux computations using three turbulence models

The flow in the base region of launch vehicles is characterized by flow separation, flow reversals, and reattachment. Computation of the convective heat flux in the base region and on the nozzle external surface of Space Shuttle Main Engine and Space Transportation Main Engine (STME) is an important part of defining base region thermal environments. Several turbulence models were incorporated in a CFD code and validated for flow and heat transfer computations in the separated and reattaching regions associated with subsonic and supersonic flows over backward facing steps. Heat flux computations in the base region of a single STME engine and a single S1C engine were performed using three different wall functions as well as a renormalization-group based k-epsilon model. With the very limited data available, the computed values are seen to be of the right order of magnitude. Based on the validation comparisons, it is concluded that all the turbulence models studied have predicted the reattachment location and the velocity profiles at various axial stations downstream of the step very well.
Converter refractories with “Hard” tars and a high coke residue

An increase in the coke residue of prepared coal tar material from 32 to 44% causes a substantial increase in the engineering properties of coked specimens which to the greatest extent characterize the service properties of the refractories.
Modeling circadian rhythm of diastolic blood pressure in hypertensive patients using 24‐hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring

Background To develop a model describing the circadian rhythm of the 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) measured diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension when no drug is present. Methods 3,771 ABPM measurements from 107 hypertensive patients in a randomized placebo-controlled study of an antihypertensive agent, assigned to the placebo group (n=24, 3 occasions) or in the placebo run-in period (n=83), were analyzed by nonlinear mixed effects regression using NONMEM. FOCE with interaction was the estimation method. Results The final model was a two-cosine term model (24- and 12-hour cycles) having phase shift on clock time, with interindividual variability on the 24-hour rhythm adjusted mean, the amplitudes of the cosine terms, phase shift, and clock time. Interoccasion variability was also included on the 24-hour rhythm adjusted mean, the amplitude of the cosine term by 24-hour cycle and the clock time. The population standard of the 24-hour rhythm adjusted mean was 95.6 mmHg[95% CI: 93.5–97.7] and its interindividual and interoccasion variability were 9.2 CV%[6.2–12.1] and 3.2 CV%[0.6–5.7], respectively. The residual error was 7.48 mmHg. Conclusions A two-cosine model was able to characterize the circadian rhythm of ABPM measured DBP in this patient population. This model can be used as the baseline model to characterize the exposure-response relationship of antihypertensive agents. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2005) 77, P57–P57; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2004.12.109
A Lattice Model of Cross-Linked Polymeric Materials: The Role of Frustration

The diversity of properties of cross-linked polymeric materials cannot be explained by the constituent polymer chains alone but is attributed in part to their cross-linking. We propose a three-dimensional lattice model of bulk, polymeric materials that consist of stiff, cross-linked chains. Each chain has a randomly distributed, fixed number of binding sites that are capable of forming cross-links, which we call "active binding sites" (ABSs). The number of ABSs per unit length of chain, their interaction strength, and their distribution are the key parameters by which variability is achieved in representative materials. Inevitably, systems with a random distribution of ABSs retain unsatisfied bonds. We refer to these as "frustrated" systems. Numerically, an interfacial crossover is observed from an ordered state at low temperature to a disordered state at high temperature; the crossover scale depends on ABS density. Randomness may therefore provide organisms with a method of varying materials properties while avoiding critical oscillations.
Transfinite Hausdorff dimension

Abstract Making extensive use of small transfinite topological dimension trind, we ascribe to every metric space X an ordinal number (or −1 or Ω ) tHD ( X ) , and we call it the transfinite Hausdorff dimension of X . This ordinal number shares many common features with Hausdorff dimension. It is monotone with respect to subspaces, it is invariant under bi-Lipschitz maps (but in general not under homeomorphisms), in fact like Hausdorff dimension, it does not increase under Lipschitz maps, and it also satisfies the intermediate dimension property (Theorem 2.7). The primary goal of transfinite Hausdorff dimension is to classify metric spaces with infinite Hausdorff dimension. Indeed, if tHD ( X ) ⩾ ω 0 , then HD ( X ) = + ∞ . We prove that tHD ( X ) ⩽ ω 1 for every separable metric space X , and, as our main theorem, we show that for every ordinal number α ω 1 there exists a compact metric space X α (a subspace of the Hilbert space l 2 ) with tHD ( X α ) = α and which is a topological Cantor set, thus of topological dimension 0. In our proof we develop a metric version of Smirnov topological spaces and we establish several properties of transfinite Hausdorff dimension, including its relations with classical Hausdorff dimension.
Prepulse Inhibition and P50 Suppression Are Both Deficient but not Correlated in Schizophrenia Patients

Background Inhibitory measures such as prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex (PPI) and event related potential P50 suppression have been widely reported to show deficits in schizophrenia patients. The relationship between PPI and P50 suppression in schizophrenia patients has remained unclear. Methods One hundred fifty-six schizophrenia patients and 104 normal comparison subjects (NCS) were tested on PPI and P50 suppression. Results Eighty-one patients and 70 NCS had valid and scorable data on both PPI and P50 suppression paradigms. As in the larger groups, these cohorts had deficits on both PPI ( p p r = .33, p r = .03, ns). Conclusions Although PPI and P50 suppression were both reduced in the patients, they were not correlated. This divergence suggests that these gating functions are complementary or redundant levels of "protection" against processes that may lead to cognitive fragmentation.
An Accurate Representation of the Complete Electromagnetic Field in the Vicinity of a Base-Driven Cylindrical Monopole

An accurate numerical representation of the electromagnetic field in the near zone of a cylindrical monopole oriented perpendicular to a highly conducting ground screen and driven at its base is needed for use in calibrating field strength measuring equipment. The fields H?(p,z), Ep(p,z), and Ez(p,z) are given by different integrals. The integrands are formed by multiplying the current distribution Iz(z) by certain derivations of K(p, z ? z') = e-jsR/R taken by hand, where s is the radian wavenumber and \begin{equation*}R = \sqrt{(z - z^\prime)^2 + p^2}.\end{equation*}. Alternatively, the integrands may be constructed by multiplying K(p,z - z') by certain derivatives of Iz(z). The current Iz(z) is obtained by solving an integral equation with feedpoint correction employing a linear zoning technique. Generally speaking for a tubular monopole, the current may be obtained to any desired accuracy, and, of course, it is bounded at the driving point. The integrands are then formed, and the resulting integral expressions for the fields are evaluated using a digital computer. By this means it is felt that accurate numerical values of the fields H?(p,z), Ep(p,z), and Ez(p,z) in the vicinity of the monopole are found, excluding observation points near the feedpoint and end of the radiator. A brief discussion of the methodology employed in programming the Chang theory is presented.
Reciprocal Regulation of Notch and Nuclear Factor of Activated T-cells (NFAT) c1 Transactivation in Osteoblasts

Notch are transmembrane receptors involved in the determination of cell fate. Nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT)c are transcription factors that control cell differentiation and function. We tested whether Notch and NFAT signaling pathways interacted in osteoblastic cells. Notch signaling was induced in ST-2 cells using vectors expressing Notch1 intracellular domain (NICD), and in RosaNotch osteoblastic cells by Cre recombinase-mediated excision of a loxP-flanked STOP cassette cloned between the Rosa26 promoter and NICD. NFATc1 was induced in RosaNotch osteoblastic cells by transducing an adenoviral vector expressing constitutively active NFATc1. Notch inhibited NFAT transactivation and NFATc1 transcription. In ST-2 cells, suppression of NFAT transactivation by Notch was reversed by constitutively active cGMP-dependent protein kinase type II. NFATc1 inhibited the transactivation of Notch target genes, and competed for binding to DNA with the Notch interacting protein Epstein-Barr virus latency C promoter binding factor-1, suppressor of hairless, Lag-1 (CSL). Co-immunoprecipitation and confocal microscopy demonstrated that NFATc1 and CSL interacted. Studies on the effects of NICD and NFATc1 on the differentiation and function of osteoblastic cells demonstrated that NICD and NFATc1 inhibited expression of osteoblast gene markers in RosaNotch osteoblasts, but only NICD suppressed the commitment of bone marrow stromal cells to the osteoblastic lineage. In conclusion, NICD and NFATc1 reciprocally inhibit their signaling pathways, and form a regulatory network to control their activity in osteoblasts.
Targeting angiogenesis and the tumor microenvironment.

The role of the microenvironment during the initiation and progression of malignancy is appreciated to be of critical importance for improved molecular diagnostics and therapeutics. The tumor microenvironment is the product of a crosstalk between different cells types. Critical elements in the microenvironment include tumor associated fibroblasts, which provide an essential communication network via secretion of growth factors and chemokines, inducing an altered extracellular matrix (ECM), thereby providing additional oncogenic signals that enhance cancer-cell proliferation and invasion. Active contribution of tumor-associated stromal cells to cancer progression has been recognized. Stromal elements consist of the ECM, fibroblasts of various phenotypes, and a scaffold composed of immune and inflammatory cells, blood and lymph vessels, and nerves. This review will focus on therapeutic targets in the microenvironment related to tumor endothelium, tumor associated fibroblasts and the extracellular matrix.
Fe(III) reduction activity and cytochrome content of Shewanella putrefaciens grown on ten compounds as sole terminal electron acceptor.

Shewanella putrefaciens was grown on a series of ten alternate compounds as sole terminal electron acceptor. Each cell type was analyzed for Fe(III) reduction activity, absorbance maxima in reduced-minus-oxidized difference spectra and heme-containing protein content. High-rate Fe(III) reduction activity, pronounced difference maxima at 521 and 551 nm and a predominant 29.3 kDa heme-containing protein expressed by cells grown on Fe(III), Mn(IV), U(VI), SO2−3 and S2O2−3, but not by cells grown on O2, NO3, NO2 , TMAO or fumarate. These results suggest that microbial Fe(III) reduction activity is enhanced by anaerobic growth on metals and sulfur compounds, yet is limited under all other terminal electron-accepting conditions.
A test of the dipole hypothesis

Abstract The magnetic inclinations of 52 cores from all oceans of the world were studied in an attempt to test the hypothesis that, when averaged over periods of 10 5 years or so, the axis of the earth's magnetic field coincides with the axis of rotation. Inclination versus latitude plots were constructed and the best fitting geocentric dipole was calculated. This is located at 89°N 211°E. It is concluded that when averaged over periods of time on the order of 10 5 –10 6 years, at least for the past 2 million years, the earth's field closely approximates a geocentric axial dipole.
A method of feasible directions using function approximations, with applications to min max problems☆

Abstract This paper presents a demonstrably convergent method of feasible directions for solving the problem min{φ(ξ)| gi(ξ)⩽0i=1,2,…,m}, which approximates, adaptively, both φ(x) and ▽φ(x). These approximations are necessitated by the fact that in certain problems, such as when φ(x) = max {f(x, y) ¦ y ϵ Ω y } , a precise evaluation of φ(x) and ▽φ(x) is extremely costly. The adaptive procedure progressively refines the precision of the approximations as an optimum is approached and as a result should be much more efficient than fixed precision algorithms. It is outlined how this new algorithm can be used for solving problems of the form min y ϵ Ω x max y ϵ Ω y f(x, y) under the assumption that Ωmξ={x|gi(x)⩽0, j=1,…,s} ∩ R n, Ωy={y|ζi(y)⩽0, i-1,…,t} ∩ R m, with f, gj, ζi continuously differentiable, f(x, ·) concave, ζi convex for i = 1,…, t, and Ω x , Ω y compact.
Letters From the Grave

I realize now that it's not a question of whether I failed him, but one of how much and in how many ways. Had my fondness for him made me vulnerable, so that during our many conversations covering ...
Automated Reliability Classification of Queueing Models for Streaming Computation

When do you trust a model? More specifically, when can a model be used for a specific application? This question often takes years of experience and specialized knowledge to answer correctly. Once this knowledge is acquired it must be applied to each application. This involves instrumentation, data collection and finally interpretation. We propose the use of a trained Support Vector Machine (SVM) to give an automated system the ability to make an educated guess as to model applicability. We demonstrate a proof-of-concept which trains a SVM to correctly determine if a particular queueing model is suitable for a specific queue within a streaming system. The SVM is demonstrated using a micro-benchmark to simulate a wide variety of queueing conditions.
Who needs liquor stores when parents will do? The importance of social sources of alcohol among young urban teens

OBJECTIVES: Examine sources of alcohol over time in a large, ethnically diverse adolescent population from a poor, urban environment. METHODS: Surveys were administered at four time points (6th-8th grades) assessing demographic characteristics, past year alcohol use and sources of alcohol to youth in Chicago, Illinois 2002-2005. Growth curve analysis was used to examine alcohol access trends among all alcohol using youth and consistent alcohol users. Interactions by race and gender were tested. RESULTS: Social sources of alcohol were the most prevalent source over time. Parents were the primary source of alcohol, but their prominence significantly decreased over time. Taking alcohol from home, and getting alcohol from other adults, individuals under age 21, and commercial sources significantly increased as sources of alcohol over time. Males were significantly more likely than females to get alcohol from commercial sources and friends' parents. CONCLUSIONS: Greater attention for reducing social access to alcohol, particularly among parents, is needed for alcohol prevention efforts prior to and during middle school. Language: en
Mining Memories: Designing a Platform to Support Social Media Based Writing

Many teens struggle with school writing and particularly in identifying personally relevant topics, which motivate writing improvement. However, a wealth of potential topics is available through their social media data. We explore the design of Sparkfolio, a prewriting support tool that aims to help students successfully prepare meaningful writing topics from their own social media content. This web-delivered tool was evaluated with 46 teen users in the context of their high school English class. Findings demonstrate that the use of social media can enhance the quality of written outcomes, as Sparkfolio users had significantly greater gains than a control group.
RightSPOT: A Novel Sense of Location for a Smart Personal Object

One of the main prerequisites for location-based services is knowledge of location. We present a simple algorithm for computing the location of a device based on signal strengths from FM radio stations. The motivation for this method comes from a new class of smart personal objects that will receive digital data encoded in regular FM radio broadcasts. Given their built-in ability to receive FM and to measure signal strengths, we show how to exploit this ability to measure the device’s location. Our algorithm, called RightSPOT, is designed to be robust to manufacturing variations among devices that affect how they measure signal strength. Toward this end, we present a location classification algorithm based not on absolute signal strengths, but on a ranking of signal strengths from multiple FM radio stations. In tests with three devices in six suburban areas, we show that we can correctly infer the device’s location about 80% of the time.
Application of a flow microcalorimeter to determine the excess enthalpies of binary mixtures of non-electrolytes

Abstract The performance of an LKB flow microcalorimeter has been improved through changes in the auxiliary equipment and operating technique. Measurements of excess enthalpies, precise to 0.5% or better, are reported for several test systems.
Testosterone Treatment for Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder in Postmenopausal Women

ABSTRACT Introduction The reduced levels of testosterone in postmenopausal women are associated with loss of libido, decreased sexual activity, diminished feelings of physical well-being, and fatigue. A bilateral oophorectomy can lead to decreases in sexual desire in 50% of cases by removing ovarian contribution to the circulating levels of testosterone. Testosterone therapy is an option for the restoration of sexual drive. Aim Transdermal testosterone administration may bypass the effects of first pass hepatic metabolism. To this end a series of studies have been carried out using a novel transdermal testosterone system. A review of the results from these studies are presented here. Main Outcome Measures A key feature of these studies was the use of validated study instruments to measure sexual function: Sexual Activity Log© (SAL©), Profile of Female Sexual Function© (PFSF©) and Personal Distress Scale©. Methods The data from the Phase III studies, known as the Investigation of Natural Testosterone in Menopausal women Also Taking Estrogen in Surgically Menopausal women (INTIMATE SM) 1 and 2 were reviewed and the salient information is presented here. Results Both INTIMATE 1 and 2 showed a significant increase in total satisfying sexual activity, via the SAL© in those women receiving testosterone, compared with those women in the placebo group. Total satisfying sexual activity increased by 74% and 51% for INTIMATE 1 and 2, respectively. The PFSF© instrument demonstrated significant improvements in INTIMATE 1 and 2 in all domains of sexual function in testosterone-treated women compared with the placebo patients. In both studies, personal distress decreased in those patients receiving testosterone, compared with the placebo group. The most commonly reported adverse events were application site reactions. Eight-five percent of patients said they would probably or definitely continue treatment. Conclusions The transdermal testosterone patch is an effective treatment for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in surgically postmenopausal women receiving concomitant estrogen therapy. The treatment has a favorable safety profile. Kingsberg S. Testosterone treatment for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in postmenopausal women.
Analysis of crossing interconnections on GaAs-based VLSICs

An efficient numerical technique to study the signal propagation delay and crosstalk developed in crossing interconnections has been developed. The model has been built to study GaAs-based VLSICs, but can be adapted to study other semiconductor materials. The code has two function calls, one each for propagation delay and for crosstalk. The main program calls each of these functions to compute the required quantities. The various line parameters have been made global. The code is constructed in a manner which enables the user to study the dependence of delay and crosstalk on any of the line parameters. The algorithm is given. >
The modulation of deep convection over the Gulf of Tehuantepec by easterly waves.

ESTE ARTICULO EXAMINA LA RELACION ENTRE ONDAS DEL ESTE QUE SE PROPAGAN DESDE EL MAR CARIBE HACIA EL ESTE DEL OCEANO PACIFICO Y ESTALLIDOS DE CONVECCION INTENSA QUE CON FRECUENCIA OCURREN SOBRE EL GOLFO DE TEHUANTEPEC Y SE INTENSIFICAN EN CICLOS TROPICALES. EL ESTUDIO MUESTRA QUE HAY PERTURBACIONES SOBRE EL CARIBE A LA VEZ QUE LA CONVECCION SE DESARROLLA SOBRE EL GOLFO Y QUE ESTAS PERTURBACIONES TIENEN ESTRUCTURA HORIZONTAL Y VERTICAL Y FACCIONES DE LA PROPAGACION QUE SON CARACTERISTICAS DE ONDAS DEL ESTE.
An experiment with Gaussian derivatives for image enhancement

Reports the result of a set of computer experiments carried out to enhance a digital image. The authors use a special line-weight function, which is a combination of zero- and second-order Hermite functions. The authors are motivated by the physiological evidence reported in Young (1987) that visual receptive fields in the primate eye are shaped like the sum of a Gaussian function and its Laplacian. This function can also be derived mathematically when the contrast sensitivity experiments in psychophysics are posed as an eigenvalue problem. The authors show that higher order Hermite terms play a significant role in image enhancement. The experimental results with one- and two-dimensional data show that the proposed function has extremely good localisation capability (i.e., the points marked by the operator is as close as possible to the center of the true edge).
Another Selective Look at Future Social Crises: Some Aspects of Which We Can Already See in the Present

We know that the future is never the past or the present exactly repeated. Nevertheless, whatever social phenomena evolve over time, in whatever form they may present themselves, they do not come out of a void, suddenly appearing. The evolution is always rooted in past and present conditions. This is true of social crises. We can grant that many crises which have been projected to appear in the 21st Century by many scholars and researchers as well as our self, wilt, differ in significant ways from those the world faced in the Century (for examples, see many of the articles in this very volume in which this paper will appear; see also, Quarantelli 1996, 19%). They will be different in important aspects from past and present crises. Nevertheless, those newer crises that are starting to appear in fuller and fuller form, can be seen to have predecessors of some kind in the past and in the present. There is not and could not be a sudden transformation of the characteristics of older crises into the features of the newer social crises.
Single-incision surgery has higher cost with equivalent pain and quality-of-life scores compared with multiple-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a prospective randomized blinded comparison.

Background Since the development of single-incision surgery, several retrospective studies have demonstrated its feasibility; however, randomized prospective trials are still lacking. We report a prospective randomized single-blinded trial with a cost analysis of single-incision (SI) to multi-incision (MI) laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Study Design After obtaining IRB approval, patients with chronic cholecystitis, acute cholecystitis, or biliary dyskinesia were offered participation in this multihospital, multisurgeon trial. Consenting patients were computer randomized into either a transumbilical SI or standard MI group; patient data were then entered into a prospective database. Results We report 79 patients that were prospectively enrolled and analyzed. Total hospital charges were found to be significantly different between SI and MI groups (MI $15,717 ± $14,231 vs SI $17,817 ± $5,358; p Conclusions We show SI surgery to have higher costs than MI surgery with equivalent quality-of-life scores, pain analogue scores, and pain-medication use.
Rurality and Other Determinants of Early Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis in Nebraska: A 6-Year Cancer Registry Study, 1998-2003

: Background:There are no studies of rurality, and other determinants of colorectal cancer (CRC) stage at diagnosis with population-based data from the Midwest. Methods: This retrospective study identified, incident CRC patients, aged 19 years and older, from 1998-2003 Nebraska Cancer Registry (NCR) data. Using federal Office of Management and Budget classifications, we grouped patients by residence in metropolitan, micropolitan nonmetropolitan, or rural nonmetropolitan counties (non-core based statistical areas). In univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses, we examined the association of the county classification and of other determinants with early (in situ/local) versus late (regional/distant) stage at CRC diagnosis. Results: Of the 6,561 CRC patients identified, 45% were from metropolitan counties, 24% from micropolitan nonmetropolitan counties and 31% from rural nonmetropolitan counties, with 32%, 38%, and 33%, respectively, being diagnosed at an early stage. Multivariate analysis showed micropolitan nonmetropolitan residents were significantly more likely than rural nonmetropolitan residents to be diagnosed at an early stage (adjusted OR, 1.22; 95% CI: 1.05-1.42, P < .05). However, rural nonmetropolitan and metropolitan residents did not significantly differ in the likelihood of early diagnosis. Residents with Medicare rather than those with private insurance (P < .0001), married rather than unmarried residents (P < .01), and residents with rectal cancer rather than those with colon cancer (P < .0001) were more likely to be diagnosed at an early stage. Conclusions: Early CRC diagnosis needs to be increased in rural (non-core) non-metropolitan residents, unmarried residents, and those with private insurance.
Effect of Microstructure on the Creep of Siliconized Silicon Carbide

Mechanisms of creep deformation have been investigated for a commercial grade of siliconized carbide containing ≅33%/silicon. Microstructural studies of both tensile and compressive test specimens indicate dislocation damage generation in both the silicon carbide and the silicon phases as a consequence of creep. In the silicon carbide, dislocation damage was normally restricted to contact sites between the silicon carbide grains resulting from high intergranular contact stresses during deformation. Dislocation damage was also observed in the silicon. Although dislocation damage was heavy in some regions of the specimens, most regions of the specimens, most regions were free of dislocations. This result is consistent with the hypothesis that deformations occurs by the motion of clusters of grains during deformation. In tension, creep at high strain rates, 1 × 10−8S−1, was accompanied by the formation of cavities at Si/SiC interfaces within the intergranular silicon phase. As cavities were not associated with dislocations, their growth was probably controlled by diffusional processes. Based on observations of the microstructure, a model of deformation is proposed to explain the fact that siliconized silicon carbide creeps faster in tension than in compression, at the same applied stress. The model is based on soil mechanics concepts. It is suggested that creep is controlled by intergranular friction between aggregate particles of the composite.
Transform domain features for ion-channel signal classification using support vector machines

The study of the behavior of ion-channels can provide significant information to detect metal ions and small organic molecules in solution. Discrimination of different analytes can be performed by extracting appropriate features from the ion-channel signals and using them for classification. In this paper, we consider features extracted from the Fourier, Wavelet and Walsh-Hadamard domain representations of the ion-channel signals. The proposed approach uses the power distribution information in the transform domains as features for discrimination. We compare the performance of all the three sets of features using support vector machines for classification of analytes and present the results. Results obtained show that the transform domain features achieve high classification rates in addition to high sensitivity and specificity rates.
Dual delivery of an antibiotic and a growth factor addresses both the microbiological and biological challenges of contaminated bone fractures

Introduction: Open fractures are plagued by high complication rates, among which infection and nonunion are the most common, leading to higher morbidity and poor patient outcomes. Despite meticulous surgical care and employment of adjunctive therapies, infection rates remain at 20%, due to the limitations of conventional therapies. Areas covered: Persistent bacteria often survive initial debridement and treatment with antibiotics. Thus, the bone graft subsequently implanted to promote healing can be the nidus for infection. The principles of biofilm theory and the “race to the surface” have been applied to develop dual-purpose bone grafts that are protected by a sustained release of an antibiotic, thereby preventing bacterial colonization. A simultaneous sustained release of a recombinant human growth factor allows the defect to become vascularized and heal. Expert opinion: Current therapies fail to meet the challenges of open fractures. Tissue engineering and drug delivery approaches can address the chal...
Analytical solutions of emulsion polymerization models

Analytical solutions to simplified, limiting case models are developed, taking the detailed model of Rawlings and Ray as the starting point. The particle number and size distribution are investigated for batch reactors
Survival impact of surgical cytoreduction in stage IV epithelial ovarian cancer.

Abstract Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of surgical cytoreduction on survival in patients with Stage IV epithelial ovarian cancer and to determine the survival impact of debulking extrahepatic disease in the subgroup of patients with liver metastasis. Methods. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for all women with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Stage IV ovarian cancer treated between 1/1/82 and 12/31/94. Clinical information abstracted included age at diagnosis, performance status, histologic subtype, tumor grade, Stage IV criteria, ascites volume, predominant peritoneal tumor pattern, surgical procedures performed, hepatic tumor residuum, extrahepatic tumor residuum, and postoperative complications. Optimal surgical status was defined as residual disease ≤1 cm. Chemotherapy treatment and follow-up were recorded. Survival analysis and comparisons were performed using the Kaplan–Meier method and the log-rank test. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to identify independent variables associated with an improved survival rate. Results. There were 84 women with Stage IV ovarian cancer and complete operative and postoperative information available. Median age at diagnosis was 61 years (range 26–85 years). Performance status was ≤2 in 83% of patients (70/84). Papillary serous histology was found in 44/84 patients (52%) and 55 patients (65%) had grade 3 tumors. Thirty-seven of 84 patients (44%) had parenchymal liver metastasis and 32/84 (38%) had malignant pleural effusion. Overall median survival was 18.1 months and was highly correlated with performance status ( P = 0.002), predominant peritoneal tumor pattern ( P = 0.0002), and the number of chemotherapy regimens received ( P = 0.0039). Primary surgical cytoreduction was attempted in all patients and 25/84 (30%) achieved optimal status. Median survival of optimally cytoreduced patients was 38.4 months, compared to 10.3 months for patients with suboptimal residual disease ( P = 0.0004). In patients with liver metastasis, optimal extrahepatic cytoreduction was achieved in 46% (17/37). Six of 37 patients (16%) underwent optimal resection of both extrahepatic and hepatic disease and had a median survival of 50.1 months, compared to a median survival of 27.0 months for the 11 patients (30%) with optimal extrahepatic disease but suboptimal residual hepatic tumor. Twenty patients (54%) were left with both suboptimal residual extrahepatic and hepatic disease and had a median survival of 7.6 months ( P = 0.0001). Optimal debulking surgery and performance status retained significance as independent predictors of survival on multivariate analysis. Conclusions. Optimal surgical debulking and performance status appear to be important determinants of survival in patients with Stage IV epithelial ovarian cancer. Even in patients with unresectable liver metastasis, optimal debulking of extrahepatic disease is associated with a significant survival advantage.
Effects of upward creep and respiratory motion in myocardial SPECT

In this study, the authors investigate the effects of two patient involuntary motions, namely upward creep (UC) and respiratory (RSP) motion, in myocardial SPECT images. A new realistic torso phantom was developed based on data from the Visual Human Project and using non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBS) modeling. The heart and diaphragm of the phantom move with a linear upward translation to model UC and move in a sinusoidal up and down fashion to model RSP motion. Simulated emission and transmission CT data sets were generated from the phantom using a L-shaped dual-camera SPECT system with a radioactivity distribution modeling that of a Tl-210 study with UC of 2 cm. The effects of attenuation and collimator-detector response are included in the simulation. A patient study with the same extent of UC was used for comparison. Both simulated and patient data were reconstructed with and without correction for attenuation and UC. Similar data sets were generated from the phantom with RSP motion. The simulated reconstructed images demonstrated distinct UC and RSP artifacts in the inferior region of the myocardium. The UC artifact can be greatly reduced with simple UC correction. However, the correction of RSP artifact may require respiratory gating.
Natural killer cells eradicate galectin-1-deficient glioma in the absence of adaptive immunity.

Natural killer (NK) cells safeguard against early tumor formation by destroying transformed target cells in a process referred to as NK immune surveillance. However, the immune escape mechanisms used by malignant brain tumors to subvert this innate type of immune surveillance remain unclear. Here we show that malignant glioma cells suppress NK immune surveillance by overexpressing the β-galactoside-binding lectin galectin-1. Conversely, galectin-1 deficient glioma cells could be eradicated by host NK cells prior to the initiation of an anti-tumor T-cell response. In vitro experiments demonstrated that galectin-1 deficient GL26-Cit glioma cells are ~3-fold more sensitive to NK-mediated tumor lysis that galectin-1 expressing cells. Our findings suggest that galectin-1 suppression in human glioma could improve patient survival by restoring NK immune surveillance that can eradicate glioma cells.
Comment on the dipole polarizability of the Zn + ion

In a recent paper Kompitsas et al. [ J. Opt. Soc. Am. B11, 697– 702 ( 1994)] presented new spectroscopic measurements for the 4snf levels in neutral Zn and used these results to deduce a value for the dipole polarizability αd of the Zn+ ion. We point out other data sources that are relevant to this determination and present additional analyses and computations that test the value that they reported. In this manner we have obtained the value αd(Zn+) = 15.4 ± 0.5a03, which confirms with reduced uncertainties the value reported by Kompitsas et al.
Shifting The Focus From Teaching To Learning: Rethinking The Role Of The Teacher Educator

This article will discuss the traditional college format and its recent transformation. It will address the changing role of both the college professor and the 21 st century college learner. As society evolves, curriculum develops and new standards are introduced, there is a call for a shift from teacher-directed instruction to student-centered learning. This article specifically highlights strategies for empowering students to take charge of their own learning within the higher education classroom. These techniques include examples for teacher educators to employ as they serve as models to the pre-service teachers they instruct.