cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acceptance of tamoxifen chemoprevention by physicians and women at risk

BACKGROUND In the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) P-1 trial, tamoxifen was shown to reduce breast carcinoma risk by 49% in high-risk women. The purpose of the current study was to identify factors associated with being offered, and accepting, tamoxifen chemoprevention. METHODS The records of 219 women who sought risk evaluation after the publication of the NSABP P-1 trial between September 1998 and October 2002 were reviewed. Risk was calculated using the model of either Gail et al. or Claus et al. The impact of individual risk factors on the offering and acceptance of tamoxifen was compared using the Fisher exact test and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS Tamoxifen was offered to 137 women (63%) in the current study. The magnitude of Gail risk, age, menopausal status, hysterectomy, and history of lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) or atypical hyperplasia (AH) were all found to be significant predictors of a patient being offered tamoxifen. On multivariate analysis, only a history of AH or LCIS and hysterectomy were found to be significant, with odds ratios of 20.3 and 3.4, respectively. Fifty-seven of the women who were offered tamoxifen (42%) took the drug. Only a history of LCIS or AH and older age were found to be predictive of tamoxifen acceptance. CONCLUSIONS In the current study, risk due to AH or LCIS was found to be the main predictor of being offered and accepting tamoxifen chemoprevention. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
CNS Complications of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Mass lesions in the basal ganglia bilaterally and mainly involving the globus pallidus are reported in a two year old boy with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis from the Department of Pediatrics, Hokushin General Hospital, Nishi, Nagano, Japan.
"All physicians are not created equal." understanding the educational background of the sports medicine physician.

Athletic trainers should be familiar with the educational background of the physicians with whom they interact. They should be aware of the educational steps involved for a physician from medical school through specialty training. It is highly desirable for sports medicine physicians to complete fellowship training or participate in appropriate continuing education courses. Athletic trainers should encourage suitable education to assist the physicians with whom they interact to be creditable sports medicine specialists.
Understanding and Treating Women's Body Image and Eating Disorders

This article provides an overview of the etiology of eating disorders, screening recommendations, and evidence-based treatment options. These disorders are a noteworthy concern among girls and women in the United States, especially given the resulting medical comorbidities and high mortality rates.
Fibroblast Growth Factor 23–Mediated Bone Disease

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is an important regulator of phosphate and vitamin D metabolism and its excessive or insufficient production leads to a wide variety of skeletal disorders. This article reviews the FGF23-α-Klotho signaling pathway, highlighting the latest developments in FGF23 regulation and action, and describes the disorders associated with FGF23 excess or deficiency.
Evaluation of microvascular anatomy by micro-CT

Observations indicate that advantitial vasa vasorum may play a role in the development and/or the progression of coronary atherosclerosis. There is a lack of information regarding the spatial three-dimensional pattern of the vasa vasorum in the coronary artery. This is due to the technical difficulties in visualizing the course of this fine vascular network with histologic methods. Microscopic computed tomography (micro-CT) is a novel technique that allows three-dimensional views of the entire microvascular structure. The current review summarizes our current advances in using this technique in visualization of the coronary circulation.
Extended Concerted Rotation Technique Enhances the Sampling Efficiency of the Computational Peptide-Design Algorithm

To enhance the sampling efficiency of our computational peptide-design algorithm in conformational space, the concerted rotation (CONROT) technique is extended to enable larger conformational perturbations of peptide chains. This allows us to make relatively large peptide conformation changes during the process of designing peptide sequences to bind with high affinity to a specific target. Searches conducted using the new algorithm identified six potential λ N(2-22) peptide variants, called B1–B6, which bind to boxB RNA with high affinity. The results of explicit-solvent atomistic molecular dynamics simulations revealed that four of the evolved peptides, viz. B1, B2, B3, and B5, are excellent candidate binders to the target boxB RNA as they have lower binding free energies than the original λ N(2-22) peptide. Three of the four peptides, B2, B3, and B5, result from searches that contain both sequence and conformation changes, indicating that adding backbone motif changes to the peptide-design algorithm imp...
Abstract 70: Targeting Myeloid Specific Neutrophil Integrin α9β1 Improves Stroke Outcome Following Transient Cerebral Ischemia in Comorbid Condition of Hyperlipidemia

Background and Hypothesis: Neutrophils infiltration following reperfusion is the hallmark of ischemic stroke. Integrin α9β1 is highly expressed on neutrophils, upregulated upon activation, stabiliz...
Maternal prenatal plasma oxytocin is positively associated with prenatal psychological symptoms, but method of immunoassay extraction may affect results

We examined associations between prenatal plasma oxytocin levels and depressive symptoms, state anxiety, and pregnancy anxiety in 75 women who visited the laboratory with their partners during mid-to-late pregnancy and engaged in relationship discussion tasks prior to a blood draw. Given controversy in the literature regarding oxytocin measurement, we compared two widely-used immunoassay approaches (with and without extraction prior to immunoassay). Levels of immunoreactive oxytocin measured with and without extraction were not correlated with each other. However, both extracted and unextracted oxytocin were positively associated with women's prenatal depressive symptoms in a model that controlled for pregnancy stage and body mass index. Only unextracted oxytocin was associated with state anxiety and pregnancy-specific anxiety. In summary, elevated plasma oxytocin levels in expectant mothers might indicate risk for mental health symptoms during the prenatal period, but results for anxiety are mixed and appear to depend on the immunoassay approach employed.
Photochemical Tissue Passivation Prevents Contracture of Full Thickness Wounds in Mice.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Wound contracture formation from excessive myofibroblast activity can result in debilitating morbidities. There are currently no treatments to prevent contracture. Photochemical tissue passivation (PTP), an established, safe, and user-friendly treatment modality, crosslinks collagen by a light-activated process, thus modulating the wound healing response and scarring. We hypothesised that PTP treatment would reinforce wounds by blunting the fibrotic response thus limiting contracture. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS Full-thickness, 1 cm × 1 cm excisional wounds were created on the dorsum of 32 C57BL/6 mice. Treated wounds were painted with photosensitizing dye and exposed to visible light. Wounds were serially photographed over 6 weeks to measure wound contracture. At 7, 14, 21, and 42 days after wound creation, mice were euthanized and wounds were harvested for histologic review by a dermatopathologist. RESULTS By Day 7, control wounds had significantly more contracture than those treated with PTP (33.0 ± 17.1% and 19.3 ± 9.0%, respectively; P = 0.011). PTP-treated wounds maintained approximately 20% less contracture than controls from Day 14 and on (P < 0.05). By Day 42, wounds had contracted by 86.9 ± 5.5% in controls and 64.2 ± 3.2% in PTP-treated wounds (P < 0.03). Histologically, PTP wounds had earlier growth and development of dermal collagen, neovascularization, and development of skin appendages, compared with control wounds. CONCLUSIONS PTP significantly limits contracture of full-thickness wounds and improves wound healing. PTP-treated wounds histologically demonstrate more mature structural organization than untreated wounds and closely resemble native skin. PTP treatment may be applicable not only for excisional wounds, but also for wounds with a high incidence of contracture and associated morbidity. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Online Diversity Communication at JPMorgan Chase

This chapter provides the details of a study conducted on JPMorgan Chase’s online community and diversity communication. The chapter sheds light on the impact of a solid corporate reputation on the users’ perceptions and response to diversity practices.
High-fat diet induced obesity and age influence the telomere shelterin complex and telomerase gene expression in mouse adipose tissue.

Obesity and aging are linked to inflammation and increased risk of chronic disease. Telomeres are the endcaps of chromosomes that are regulated by telomerase, the enzyme that elongates telomeres, as well as a protein complex known as shelterin. Telomere dysfunction is associated with inflammation, aging, and disease. However, the effect of high-fat diet (HFD) induced obesity and advancing age on the shelterin complex and telomerase in adipose tissue is unknown. The present study investigated the effects of obesity and aging on C57BL/6J mice adipose tissue mRNA expression of shelterin complex genes. Young (YG) mice (3 mo) were randomly assigned to be fed either a high-fat diet (YG + HFD; 60% kcal from fat) or a low-fat diet (YG + LFD; 10% kcal from fat). A subset of mice were aged until 16 months. Body weight and epididymal white adipose tissue (EWAT) weight increased with age or a HFD. There was a trend for increased Terf2 expression, as expression was increased in HFD + YG by ~47% and aged mice by ~80%. Pot1b expression was increased in aged mice by ~35%-60% compared to YG, independent of diet. mTert, the gene that codes for the catalytic subunit of telomerase, was significantly elevated in aged mice. Changes in telomere associated gene expression was accompanied by changes in expression of inflammatory markers Mcp1 and Tnfα. These findings suggest obesity and age impact expression of shelterin complex and telomerase related genes in adipose, perhaps altering telomere function in adipose tissue thereby increasing inflammation and risk of chronic disease.
The Effects of Dementia Care Co‐Management on Acute Care, Hospice, and Long‐Term Care Utilization

Author(s): Jennings, Lee A; Hollands, Simon; Keeler, Emmett; Wenger, Neil S; Reuben, David B | Abstract: Background/objectivesAlthough nurse practitioner dementia care co-management has been shown to reduce total cost of care for fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare beneficiaries, the reasons for cost savings are unknown. To further understand the impact of dementia co-management on costs, we examined acute care utilization, long-term care admissions, and hospice use of program enrollees as compared with persons with dementia not in the program using FFS and managed Medicare claims data.DesignQuasi-experimental controlled before-and-after comparison.SettingUrban academic medical center.ParticipantsA total of 856 University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Alzheimer's and Dementia Care program patients were enrolled between July 1, 2012, and December 31, 2015, and 3,139 similar UCLA patients with dementia not in the program. Comparison patients were identified as having dementia using International Classification of Diseases-9 codes and natural language processing of clinical notes. Coarsened exact matching was used to reduce covariate imbalance between intervention and comparison patients.InterventionDementia co-management model using nurse practitioners partnered with primary care providers and community organizations.MeasurementsAverage difference-in-differences per quarter over the 2.5-year intervention period for all-cause hospitalization, emergency department (ED) visits, intensive care unit (ICU) stays, and number of inpatient hospitalization days; admissions to long-term care facilities; and hospice use in the last 6 months of life.ResultsIntervention patients had fewer ED visits (odds ratio [OR] = .80; 95% confidence interval [CI] = .66-.97) and shorter hospital length of stay (incident rate ratio = .74; 95% CI = .55-.99). There were no significant differences between groups for hospitalizations or ICU stays. Program participants were less likely to be admitted to a long-term care facility (hazard ratio = .65; 95% CI = .47-.89) and more likely to receive hospice services in the last 6 months of life (adjusted OR = 1.64; 95% CI = 1.13-2.37).ConclusionComprehensive nurse practitioner dementia care co-management reduced ED visits, shortened hospital length of stay, increased hospice use, and delayed admission to long-term care.
Resiliency Enhancement of Distribution Power Grids Using Mobile Marine Power Source

In this paper, a new configuration security framework is developed for reliability and resiliency improvement of distribution networks by the coordination of the security-constraint unit commitment (SCUC) and mobile marine power sources (MMPSs) under both post-disaster and normal restoration operations. It is assumed that a MMPS contains non-dispatchable distributed generators (DGs), e.g., photovoltaics (PV), as well as dispatchable DGs, e.g., gas turbines and diesel generators. A mixed-integer linear programming model is formulated for coordinating MMPSs and SCUC under both normal and extreme conditions (e.g., natural disasters, cyber and physical attacks). To better characterize the uncertainties in renewable generation and electric load, a deep learning gated recurrent unit is adopted to forecast the PV power output. The proposed model is tested on the IEEE 69-bus distribution network to validate the effectiveness and merits of MMPSs. Results show that reliability and resiliency could be enhanced by using MMPSs within the network.
In the Middle of the Patent War for the Next Generation of Video Coding Standard

Video coding and compression is not only very appealing area for researchers, but also a battlefield for high-tech companies, businesses, and lawyers. Till recently, the keynote speaker was mostly conducted research in this field; however in the last several years he has been involved in the patent war, financial battle, and other challenges relating to the new generation of video coding standards. This talk will present both technical innovations as well business issues. Today Internet bandwidth is used for at least 90% of video transfer. Thousands researcher and practitioners are working on 5G and soon 6G transmission networks, but also on new generation of video coding techniques to better compress digital video. Video coding standards have a long history, from MPEG in 1995 to AVC in 2003 and HEVC in 2013. Every hew standard was able to compress video at least 50% better than the previous one with even better quality. Standards are not free, as many people think. For example only Netflix pays $400 million per year to the standard committee to use the HEVC coding standard for its video transmissions. Who gets these revenues — the institutions that have so-called essential patents for the standard. For example, Samsung has hundreds of patents for HEVC and generates millions of dollars revenues every year. The new standard, which is in development, called VVC (Versatile Video Coding) is expected to be realized in 2020. Standard Committee meets every three months in order to evaluate new techniques and tools to be included in the standard. The keynote speaker is a member of the team developing the patents for the new VVC standard. In the last two years we submitted 38 patent applications, with the goal to have a number of essential patents in VVC and generate big revenues when the world start using the new standard. However, there is a battle between big companies including Google, Intel, Microsoft, Cisco, and others and small players like us. In this keynote we introduce technical elements of the new video coding standard, our contributions, and discuss all other business challenges.
NEWERTRACK: ML-Based Accurate Tracking of In-Mouth Nutrient Sensors Position Using Spectrum-Wide Information

In this article, we consider a family of in-mouth passive radio-frequency (RF) sensors for nutrients whose data is acquired externally using a miniaturized vector network analyzer (VNA). However, the data readings suffer from noise as the VNA’s position shifts during reading and also in-between readings. We propose an ML method to track the movement of these sensors using RF signals. Although classical studies in RF sensors have shown that the s-parameter of the sensor is related to the position of the sensor, they have always tried to find the relation between the resonance frequency and its loss to the position of the sensor. In contrast, our analysis revealed that based on theoretical perspectives, using just resonance frequency and its loss makes it impossible to find the correct position of the sensor with reasonable accuracy. To improve accuracy, we propose to use the loss information of RF sensors not only at one resonance frequency but across a wide spectrum. We introduced a pretrained neural network model consisting of a combination of DNN and convolutional neural network layers for extracting the sensor position. In order to accurately track the movement of the sensor with respect to the VNA, we propose a neural network-based RF sensor tracking (NEWERTRACK) model, which has utilized two unidirectional long short term memory layers. The results show that our proposed model achieves an average tracking error of 1.84 mm. Also, NEWERTRACK is capable of improving the position tracking accuracy by about $10\times $ compared to traditional s-parameter analysis methods and outperforms the best model in other RF methods by two times.
Traumatic Brain Injury Impairs Systemic Vascular Function Through Altered Lipid Metabolism and Disruption of Inward-Rectifier Potassium (Kir2.1) Channels

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Trauma can lead to widespread vascular endothelial dysfunction, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Strong inward rectifier potassium channels (Kir2.1) play a critical role in the dynamic regulation of regional perfusion and blood flow. Kir2.1 channel activity is modulated by phosphatidylinositol 4,5 bisphosphate (PIP2), a minor membrane phospholipid that is degraded by phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in conditions of oxidative stress or severe inflammation. We hypothesized that PLA2 induced depletion of PIP2 impairs Kir2.1 channel function. METHODS: A fluid percussion injury model of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rats was used to study mesenteric resistance arteries 24 hours after injury. Patch clamp electrophysiology in freshly isolated endothelial and smooth muscle cells was performed to monitor Kir2.1 conductance, and the functional responses of intact arteries were assessed using pressure myography. We analyzed circulating PLA2, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and metabolites to identify alterations in signaling pathways associated with PIP2 in TBI. RESULTS: Electrophysiology analysis of endothelial and smooth muscle cells revealed a significant reduction of Ba2+ sensitive Kir2.1 currents after TBI. Additionally, dilations to elevated extracellular potassium and BaCl2 or ML 133 induced constrictions in pressurized arteries were significantly decreased following TBI, consistent with an impairment of Kir2.1 channel function. The addition of a PIP2 analog to the patch pipette successfully rescued endothelial Kir2.1 currents after TBI. Both H2O2 and PLA2 activity were increased after injury. Metabolomics analysis demonstrated altered lipid metabolism signaling pathways, including increased arachidonic acid, and fatty acid mobilization after TBI. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support a model in which increased H2O2 induced PLA2 activity after trauma hydrolyzes endothelial PIP2, resulting in impaired Kir2.1 channel function.
Why truthmaker theory cannot save divine simplicity

Although the doctrine of divine simplicity has faced substantial criticism in recent years, Jeffrey Brower has recently offered a novel defense of the view by appealing to contemporary truthmaker theory. In this paper, I will argue that Brower’s defense of divine simplicity requires an implausible account of how truthmaking works for essential intrinsic predications. I will first argue that, unless Brower is willing to make an ad hoc exception for how truthmaking works in God’s case, he is committed to saying that essential intrinsic predications about any object are made true by that object alone, not by its having essential properties. I will then argue that reflecting on cases where distinct essential intrinsic predications about an object have different causal explanations behind them shows that this general view of truthmaking is implausible.
Mapping the framework to credit-bearing information literacy courses

Abstract The Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education emphasizes conceptual, critical-thinking approaches to information literacy, a departure from the competency-based Standards. The Framework can be challenging for librarians to incorporate into their teaching practices. While redesigning [course name], the researchers of this study became curious about how peers were using the Framework in credit-bearing information literacy and library instruction courses. Were peers using the Framework? Were courses structured entirely around the Framework? Which frames were most common and least common? Were the frames explicitly or implicitly presented? Did courses reflect a more conceptual approach as represented by the Framework? Using deductive coding, the researchers mapped the Framework's six frames to the course objectives and course outlines found in the syllabi of peer institutions. Coding revealed Searching as Strategic Exploration was the most prevalent and Authority is Constructed and Contextual was the least coded frame. Additionally, syllabi were not explicitly designed around the Framework. Instead, frames were incorporated implicitly. A competencies-based approach to instruction was still predominant. This study demonstrates the process of mapping the Framework to existing syllabi can help librarians redesign their own courses while thinking more critically about what and how they teach.
A study of call graph effectiveness for framework-based web applications

Modern web applications are continuously evolving and becoming increasingly reliant on web frameworks to support their ever-changing needs. This necessitates the realization of efficient static analysis methodologies for the purpose of bug finding and security auditing of such applications. Moreover, the majority of these frameworks are written in JavaScript, which is difficult to analyze due to its extremely dynamic nature. The primary goal of this work is to study the effectiveness of the present state-of-the-art call graph approaches for JavaScript and propose techniques to enhance them such that they discover more of the crucial functions and call edges in modern, framework-based JavaScript applications. Ideally, these new techniques must enhance function and call edge discovery without much impact on precision and scalability.
Sunscreens in the United States: Current Status and Future Outlook

Incidence rates of nonmelanoma skin cancer and melanoma have been on the rise in the USA for the past 25 years. UV radiation (UVR) exposure remains the most preventable environmental risk factor for these cancers. Aside from sun avoidance, sunscreens continue to provide the best alternative protection. UVR directly damages DNA and causes indirect cellular damage through the creation of reactive oxygen species, the sum of which leads to cutaneous immunosuppression and a tumorigenic milieu. The current generation of sunscreens protect from UVR through two main mechanisms: absorption and deflection. In the USA, the Food and Drug Association (FDA) regulates sunscreen products which are considered over-the-counter drugs. With the release of new FDA testing and labeling requirements in 2011 and the enactment of the Sunscreen Innovation Act in 2014, sunscreen manufacturers are now required to evaluate their products not only on the sun protection factor (SPF) but also on broad-spectrum UVA protection. The American Academy of Dermatology Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics have provided specific recommendations for proper sun protection and sunscreen usage with the continual goal of increasing public awareness and compliance with appropriate sun protective measures. Antioxidants, photolyases, and plant polyphenols remain an interesting avenue of research as additives to sunscreens or stand-alone topical or oral products that appear to modulate the immunosuppressive effects of UVR on the skin. Additionally, although UVR induces endogenous cutaneous production of vitamin D, its damaging effects overshadow this positive benefit, especially in light of the ease of achieving recommended amounts of vitamin D through diet and supplementation.
A Method for Establishing the Age of Subadults

Accurate estimates of age-at-death of subadult human skeletal remains are limited because of the dearth of information on the covariance among reliable indicators in recent samples of children. To obtain these kinds of data, namely patterns of maturation among dental development, epiphyseal union, and long bone growth, we focused on a radiographic method using recently decreased children. A total of 183 subadult cadavers were examined using X-radiographs of the six long bones and the mandibular dentition with measurements and evaluations thereof. The results of this study show that cadaver samples can relatively inexpensively, provide accurate and precise information on the covariance of subadult age indicators and thus can contribute to the formation of age standards for population lacking such data.
Spectro-temporal analysis of speech using 2-d Gabor filters.

We present a 2-D spectro-temporal Gabor filterbank based on the 2-D Fast Fourier Transform, and show how it may be used to analyze localized patches of a spectrogram. We argue that the 2-D Gabor filterbank has the capacity to decompose a patch into its underlying dominant spectro-temporal components, and we illustrate the response of our filterbank to different speech phenomena such as harmonicity, formants, vertical onsets/offsets, noise, and overlapping simultaneous speakers.
Invisible Hand, the

The assumption is that society benefits most when individuals are allowed to define and pursue their own self-interests, with minimal interference from governments or other authorities. However, this assumption also presumes there is some guiding natural force – seldom mentioned and almost never defined – that ensures a just equilibrium will result from such self-interested behaviors. The concept of the invisible hand first emerges in the work of Adam Smith. Nowadays, the term has been captured by the economists, but, originally, it had more to do with Smith's moral philosophy than it did with merely his economic ideas. It is this larger moral conception that is of greatest interest for business ethics. The greatest contribution individuals can make to the collective good is the development and actualization of their own virtue. Keywords: the invisible hand; stoicism; collective good; Adam Smith
ZOOMORPHIC EFFIGY PENDANTS: AN EXAMINATION OF STYLE, MEDIUM, AND DISTRIBUTION IN THE CADDO AREA

AbstractCaddo zoomorphic effigy pendants were crafted from a wide variety of raw material, such as freshwater mussel shell, Busycon perversum (whelk) marine shell, animal bone, and various types of soft stone. They have been documented at contemporaneous Late Caddo (A.D. 1400–1700) sites along the Red River in northeast Texas, southwest Arkansas, and northwest Louisiana; the Black Bayou, Big Cypress Bayou, and upper Sabine River basins in northeast Texas; the Ouachita River in south-central Arkansas; and the Arkansas River in central Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. This paper describes the development of a comprehensive corpus that investigates stylistic groups, differential raw material or medium utilized, and the spatial distribution of zoomorphic effigy pendants throughout the Caddo area. Results reveal north-south heterogeneity, suggesting the presence of broader traditional cultural narratives associated with a complex idea that is manifest regionally in distinct stylistic forms and linked to Caddo be...
Static compaction of delay tests considering power supply noise

Excessive power supply noise can lead to overkill during delay test. A static compaction algorithm is described in this paper that prevents such overkill. A power supply noise estimation tool has been built and integrated into the compaction process. Compaction results for KLPG delay tests for ISCAS89 circuits under different power grid environments are presented.
CLINICAL CONFERENCE: Chromosomal Sex and the Prepuberal Diagnosis of Gonadal Dysgenesis

Dr. Grumbach: Barr and associates have demonstrated that in the human the majority of somatic cells of females contain a conspicuous, heterochromatic mass of chromatin in the resting nuclei. Their discovery of a sex-difference in intermitotic nuclei of a number of vertebrate species, including man, has provided a relatively simple method for assessing the sex-chromosome constitution. This chromatin mass is about 1 micron in diameter and often plano-convex in configuration. It is usually located against the inner surface of the nuclear membrane and contains desoxyribonucleic acid. In males, a comparable chromatin mass is rarely found, never in more than a few per cent of the nuclei. There is good evidence that this so-called "sexchromatin" represents the fusion of heterochromatic portions of two X-chromosomes. The sex chromatin can be conveniently determined by examination of specimens of skin obtained by biopsy (Fig. 1). Recently, more practical methods for determining cytologic sex have been described employing smears from readily available tissues, such as the oral and vaginal mucosa (Fig. 2) and the blood. Davidson and Smith have shown that there is a sex difference in the morphology of polymorphonuclear neutrophils. Cytologic examination of chromosomal sex has provided an important tool for the investigation of anomalies of sex development. Apart from its ancillary role in diagnosis, cytologic examination of sex chromatin has made a significant contribution to our understanding of the disordered development in these afflictions. However, the results of this determination should not be regarded as an especial indication of the psychosexual orientation of patients with such abnormalities, nor, in the case of infants, of the sex to which they should be assigned.
Interaction of Virulent and Avirulent Listeria monocytogenes with Cultured Mouse Peritoneal Macrophages

The interaction between smooth and rough Listeria monocytogenes and mouse peritoneal macrophages in culture was investigated. Initially, antibiotics were deleted from the culture medium, and no attempt other than the removal of unphagocytized bacteria by extensive washings was made to control extracellular growth. Under these conditions the monolayers were rapidly destroyed within an 8-h period, and this was associated with increases in the intracellular population of both strains. Extracellular viability counts revealed that washings failed to reduce the bacteria in the medium to less than 10% of the original inoculum. Continuous phagocytosis of Listeria which grew logarithmically in the maintenance media appears to account for the observed changes in the number of intracellular bacteria. The data also indicate that it is primarily the free bacteria in the culture medium which are responsible for the cytotoxic effects. In other experiments streptomycin-penicillin solutions were added to the maintenance media after an initial period of phagocytosis. In the presence of antibiotics, the total number of macrophages per field remained relatively constant, and no morphological alterations in the leukocyte cultures were observable. Extensive intracellular multiplication of either strain was not evident in fixed and stained cover slips. Viable intracellular counts reveal that after 24 h there is almost total killing of the rough variant, whereas the smooth strain tended towards complete survival.
The occurrence of inorganic elements in various biofuels and its effect on ash chemistry and behavior and use in combustion products

The focus of this paper is to discuss the occurrence and effect of the inorganic composition of selected biofuels and their impact on ash behavior and ash utilization in combustion systems. Biofuels studied include: grasses, manures, and wood. A series of fuel blends were studied as to their possible ash composition and behavior during combustion at various temperatures. The fuels were subjected to chemical fractionation. The bulk chemical analysis and chemical fractionation data were input into a thermodynamic model, i.e., FactSage, to predict the chemical composition and amount of melt phases that form as a function of temperature. The amount and composition of the melt phase was then used as input into a program developed at Pennsylvania State University to predict viscosity of the melt phase. The resulting cofired ash was also evaluated for its suitability as an additive in concrete.
Suicide grief work and pastoral counseling

Suicide is a common form of violent death that requires pastoral care for the survivors. This essay narrates a completed suicide of a 28-year old, white, male, alcoholic in terms of his personal and family history. Special attention is devoted to the mourning of the widow in light of her personal traumas. Suicide grief is discussed as a triple loss in the forms of death, rejection, and disillusionment; and guidelines for pastoral care are formulated. The theory of depression as the cause of suicide is disputed, and the concept of psychache is favorably considered. The essay concludes by rejecting attitudes of suicide as sin and mental illness and views suicide as a tragedy.
Asian American Multidimensional Acculturation Scale: Development, Factor Analysis, Reliability, and Validity.

This article describes the development and psychometric properties of the Asian American Multidimensional Acculturation Scale (AAMAS). The results of 3 separate studies provide strong evidence of the instrument's reliability and validity. The principles for the development of the AAMAS were orthogonality of cultural dimensions, inclusion of a pan-ethnic Asian American dimension, and ease of use across ethnic groups. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicate that within each cultural dimension (AAMAS-Culture of Origin, AAMAS-Asian American, and AAMAS-European American) there are 4 reliable acculturation domains of cultural identity, language, cultural knowledge, and food consumption. These features of the AAMAS allow for a more complex assessment of acculturation level of Asian Americans and its relationship to psychological functioning.
The helicial flux rope structure of solar filaments

Abstract According to J. B. Taylor's relaxation theory for magnetized plasmas, helical flux ropes should be the fundamental building blocks of magnetism in the solar atmosphere. Although flux ropes are clearly ejected from the Sun, there has been some controversy about whether they exist in the sun's atmosphere before ejection. The issue is important because of the need to understand how eruptions are initiated. A clearer picture of solar flux ropes is emerging with recent high-resolution observations of solar filaments. Their twist and writhe are frequently detectable. This report describes some examples of filaments that suddenly writhe (kink) and do not escape the sun. The observations of November 1, 2001 and May 27, 2002 both appear to show the sudden eruption of a filament with probable transformation of some internal twist into a writhe of approx. + 1. Also described is one event in which a well observed filament did erupt. It is associated with a magnetic flux rope detected with the NEAR spacecraft magnetometer.
‘Our Posteriors, Our Posterity’: the problem of embodiment in Suzan-Lori Parks’s Venus and Kara Walker’s Camptown Ladies

This article employs art-historical and cultural-studies analytic practices to argue that visual representation of the black female body, specifically the body of the ‘Hottentot Venus’, throws into question the conceptual nature of Suzan-Lori Parks’s Venus and Kara Walker’s Camptown Ladies. Furthermore, the article contends that the efforts of both playwright and artist to treat Sara Baartman/the ‘Hottentot Venus’ as an abstract concept – the endlessly revivable image of the black woman reduced to her sexual parts and parodied within popular culture – deterritorialises the historical Sara Baartman and imposes US concerns, rather than those of southern Africa, upon her narrative and its afterlife.
FUNDOPLICATION IN CHILDREN: EXPERIENCE WITH 106 CASES

Background: Gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) is a physiological problem in infancy that can become pathological and life-threatening in certain cases. Fundoplication has been shown previously to be effective in the control of this problem when medical therapy fails. Methods: A retrospective review of the hospital records and the Department of Paediatric Surgery database was carried out, in order to demonstrate the Prince of Wales Children Hospital's (POWCH) experience with 106 fundoplications between February 1989 and March 1993. Results: There was a failure rate of 7.5% and a long-term mortality rate of 7.8%. The children most at risk of mortality and morbidity are shown to be the neurologically impaired. The special problems associated with these children as compared with neurologically normal children with pathological GOR are discussed and the literature reviewed. Conclusion: Fundoplication is shown to be a safe operation that can be life-saving in certain circumstances.
The construction of meaning during training for probation and parole

The present research is an assessment of three broad changes in the institutional environment of parole and probation and how a particular local organizational culture is responding to those changes. I argue that changes in the institutional environment of parole and probation are articulated in classes and topics selected for Peace Officer State Training (POST). These changes in turn are mediated through instructors who use linguistic devices called tropes—stories, ironies, and metaphors—to provide the cultural context for comprehending institutional changes. An assessment of tropes provides a schematic of the way in which local agency culture responds to institutional changes in terms of preexisting cultural meanings.
Glial elements contribute to stress-induced torsinA expression in the CNS and peripheral nervous system

DYT1 dystonia is caused by a single GAG deletion in exon 5 of TOR1A, the gene encoding torsinA, a putative chaperone protein. In this study, central and peripheral nervous system perturbations (transient forebrain ischemia and sciatic nerve transection, respectively) were used to examine the systems biology of torsinA in rats. After forebrain ischemia, quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction identified increased torsinA transcript levels in hippocampus, cerebral cortex, thalamus, striatum, and cerebellum at 24 h and 7 days. Expression declined toward sham values by 14 days in striatum, thalamus and cortex, and by 21 days in cerebellum and hippocampus. TorsinA transcripts were localized to dentate granule cells and pyramidal neurons in control hippocampus and were moderately elevated in these cell populations at 24 h after ischemia, after which CA1 expression was reduced, consistent with the loss of this vulnerable neuronal population. Increased in situ hybridization signal in CA1 stratum radiatum, stratum lacunosum-moleculare, and stratum oriens at 7 days after ischemia was correlated with the detection of torsinA immunoreactivity in interneurons and reactive astrocytes at 7 and 14 days. Sciatic nerve transection increased torsinA transcript levels between 24 h and 7 days in both ipsilateral and contralateral dorsal root ganglia (DRG). However, increased torsinA immunoreactivity was localized to both ganglion cells and satellite cells in ipsilateral DRG but was restricted to satellite cells contralaterally. These results suggest that torsinA participates in the response of neural tissue to central and peripheral insults and its sustained up-regulation indicates that torsinA may contribute to remodeling of neuronal circuitry. The striking induction of torsinA in astrocytes and satellite cells points to the potential involvement of glial elements in the pathobiology of DYT1 dystonia.
On urban homicide: A statistical analysis

A statistical analysis is made of homicide rates in the 50 largest American cities for four different years. It is shown that differences in recent murder growth among the cities can largely be explained as typical random fluctuations about a common trend. It is also found that the changing age profile of the American people explains no more than ten percent of the increase in homicide since 1964. Several mathematical models for future homicide growth are proposed from the analysis, and under each the probability of death by murder and corresponding drop in life expectancy are estimated for individuals born now in each of the 50 cities.
Heparin suppresses mesangial cell proliferation and matrix expansion in experimental mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis.

Heparin suppresses mesangial cell proliferation and matrix expansion in experimental mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis. Proliferation and extracellular matrix (ECM) overproduction by glomerular mesangial cells characterizes many types of glomerulonephritis and often precedes the development of glomerulosclerosis. Heparin is a potent inhibitor of mesangial cell growth in vitro . We examined whether standard heparin can inhibit mesangial cell proliferation in vivo in the mesangioproliferative anti-Thy 1.1 nephritis. Untreated control rats were compared to rats infused with heparin either early (day -2 to 1) or late (day 2 to 5) after induction of anti-Thy 1.1 nephritis. The results show that heparin treatment significantly reduced mesangial cell proliferation regardless of when it was initiated. Heparin (either early or late treatment) also reduced mesangial basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) expression and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor up-regulation as reflected by immunostaining, whereas PDGF B-chain expression was reduced only by late heparin treatment. Furthermore, heparin treatment markedly inhibited the mesangial matrix expansion for a variety of ECM proteins, including laminin, type I and IV collagen, fibronectin and entactin. Heparin did not affect the initial mesangiolysis, glomerular macrophage influx, deposition of anti-Thy 1.1 IgG or fibrinogen, or the glomerular platelet influx. These results suggest that heparin, via its antiproliferative rather than anticoagulant effect, can inhibit mesangial cell proliferation, overexpression of polypeptide growth factors, and ECM protein overproduction in vivo . The beneficial effect of heparin can be demonstrated even if treatment is initiated after the development of nephritis. By virtue of these properties, heparin may be an effective agent in the treatment of human mesangioproliferative disease and in the prevention of glomerulosclerosis.
Alcohol consumption and sexually transmitted disease risk behavior: Partner mix among male Korean university students

Background: This study examined alcohol consumption and sexually transmitted disease risk behavior as related to prostitute visits and sex partner mix among male Korean university students in 1993 to 1994. Methods: Questionnaires were completed by a representative sample of 1103 university students in Seoul. Lifetime sexually transmitted disease risk behavior was categorized as none, only one, and multiple sexual experiences with prostitutes, whereas risk according to partner mix was classified as no sexual experience with prostitutes, sexual experience with prostitutes only, and with both prostitutes and girlfriends. The proportional odds model was applied to the data. Results: A total of 25.8% of the university students had visited prostitutes-17.6% visited twice or more, and 12.9% had sexual experiences with both prostitutes and girlfriends. Heavier alcohol consumption was significantly related to multiple visits to prostitutes (odds ratio = 1.71) and to sexual experiences with both prostitutes and girlfriends (odds ratio = 2.30). Conclusions: In this first systematic study of the association between alcohol consumption and sexual experiences among Korean male university students, alcohol use was associated with risky sexual behaviors, and with first and most recent sexual experience with prostitutes, supporting our hypotheses.
Self‐regulation, public issue management and marketing practices in the US entertainment industry

The practice of issue management is widely recognised as a necessary activity for effective corporate and industry political strategy. The issue of violent content, children and the US entertainment industry offers an excellent platform for applying a firm/industry issue management framework developed by Kaufman et al. (1989). To that end, the scope of this paper is three-fold: first, to categorise the motion picture, television, music recording, and computer and video game industries product self-regulation regime utilising an expanded version of a model originally developed by Garvin (1983) that identifies a spectrum of governmental regulation categories; second, to employ the above mentioned issue management framework developed by Kaufman et al. (1989) to describe the issue circumstances under which the entertainment industry engages in political activity; and third, to analyse and categorise the entertainment industries' self-regulation regimes, using the structure and control approach offered by Kaufman et al. (1989) and adapted in a model developed by the author. In conclusion, the Kaufman et al. (1989) model, while offering a credible explanation of issue specificity criteria in this case, does not offer the same credibility for issue frequency criteria. Copyright © 2003 Henry Stewart Publications