cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pharmacokinetics of high-dose oral CCNU in bone marrow transplant patients

Purpose: CCNU (lomustine) and other nitrosourea compounds are rapidly metabolized to alkylating moieties, which are active against various malignancies. In humans, CCNU undergoes biotransformation to the geometric isomers of 4′-hydroxyCCNU. The pharmacokinetics of trans- and cis-4′-hydroxyCCNU were determined in five patients with Hodgkin’s or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma receiving sequential doses of CCNU (15 mg/kg), etoposide (60 mg/kg) and cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg) prior to autologous bone marrow transplantation. Methods: Plasma concentrations of the isomeric forms of the metabolites were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Data were analysed using noncompartmental pharmacokinetic methods. Results: Formation of the trans-isomer predominated over that of the cis-isomer, with an average exposure ratio of 1.4 (range 1.0–2.1). Peak plasma concentrations occurred between 1 and 4.1 h postdosing and averaged 1.56 mg/l for the trans-isomer and 1.10 mg/l for cis isomer. Peak plasma concen- trations and systemic exposures varied approximately six- and ninefold, respectively, reflecting significant interindividual variability in alkylating activity after high doses of CCNU. Plasma half-lives of the metabolites were 3.1 h (range 1.1–4.5 h) for the trans-isomer and 3.5 h (range 1.3–6.4 h) for the cis- isomer, and varied linearly with increasing patient body weight. There was no significant difference in plasma half-lives after high-dose CCNU administration observed in this study and those reported previously after the administration of substantially lower doses of CCNU. Conclusion. Despite linearity in the pharmacokinetics of the isomeric forms of 4′-hydroxyCCNU at high doses, large interindividual variability in exposure to the CCNU metabolites was observed. Potential saturation of metabolic pathways to the isomers at these doses may manifest as toxic symptoms since alkylating moieties formed directly from the parent, CCNU, may be associated with greater toxicity than those formed from the isomeric forms of the 4′-hydroxylated metabolite.
HUMAN MILK FAT GLOBULE (HMFG) GLYCOPROTEINS: THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH LIPID MICELLES IN SKIM MILK AND SURVIVAL IN THE STOMACH OF MILK-FED PRE-TERM INFANTS. ♦ 507

HUMAN MILK FAT GLOBULE (HMFG) GLYCOPROTEINS: THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH LIPID MICELLES IN SKIM MILK AND SURVIVAL IN THE STOMACH OF MILK-FED PRE-TERM INFANTS. ♦ 507
THE SOURCES OF PUBLIC POLICY: WELFARE POLICY IN THE AMERICAN STATES

The conceptualization of political and economic determinants of public policy as interactive rather than sufficient causes is subjected here to a comparative state analysis. An examination of interactive effects of culture, wealth, and gubernatorial power on AFDC grants and Medicaid benefits offers empirical illustration of Stonecash's reconceptualization of the classic politics-process-policy model. The results indicate that political dispositions become more potent in combination with increasing concentrations of wealth and executive power.
Neural networks-then and now

The emergence of neural networks as a significant subdiscipline with corresponding attempts at application to engineering problems is traced back to the 1960s, when Frank Rosenblatt, a Cornell University psychologist, showed by mathematical analysis, digital computer simulation, and experiments with special-purpose parallel analog systems that neural networks with variable-weight connections could be trained to classify spatial patterns into prespecified categories. In his attempts to provide biologically plausible explanations of the function of the central nervous system, he investigated relatively simple networks that were amenable to analysis and more complex networks whose behavior could be predicted only in terms of gross characteristics. He assembled a sizable group involving theoreticians, experimentalists, technologists, and, later, biologists. His work caught the imagination of the press and led to the wave of febrile activity that subsided at the end of that decade. >
The Analysis of Multiple Correlated Binary Outcomes: Application to Rodent Teratology Experiments

Abstract In a developmental toxicity study, pregnant animals are exposed to the test substance and their offspring are assessed for defects. Often, multiple observations are made on each fetus, in which case the data are doubly nested. In this article we adapt the approach of Liang and Zeger (1986) and Zeger and Liang (1986) to yield an analysis, which appropriately allows for the correlation structure.
Inspissation of pancreatic zymogen material in cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis is characterized by the elaboration of abnormal, thick, tenacious mucus resulting in obstructive disease in sites such as the lung and pancreas. In the pancreas, acinar plugs of mucus have been reported as the earliest recognizable morphologic lesion in cystic fibrosis. Since mucus is not normally elaborated within the pancreatic lobular tissue, the mechanism of accumulation of mucus in acini is enigmatic. To investigate this phenomenon, well-preserved autopsy pancreatic tissue was studied ultrastructurally. This study demonstrated very prominent mucous metaplasia in these diseased organs. Acinar plugs, though, developed before mucous metaplasia. Subsequent histochemical study was performed, which demonstrated that the early acinar plugs exhibited the same staining properties as zymogen granules and were distinct from the staining pattern of mucus in pancreatic tissue of cystic fibrosis patients. These findings, then, indicate that zymogen material, not mucus, becomes inspissated in the ac...
Enterobacterial adhesins and the case for studying SNPs in bacteria

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in structural genes can have a dramatic effect on the biology of whole organisms, from bacteria and viruses to mammals. Here, we underscore the importance of SNPs in bacterial genes that contribute to the ability of pathogens to cause disease. SNPs that confer an adaptive advantage for bacterial pathogens have been discovered in the genes encoding the FimH and Dr adhesins of Escherichia coli and, most recently, Salmonella enterica sv. Typhimurium FimH.
Evidence for above-surface and subsurface neutralization during interactions of highly charged ions with a metal target.

The projectile {ital K} Auger electron emission observed during grazing collisions of 60-keV N{sup 6+} ions with Au(110) is characterized by two components with strikingly different dependences on perpendicular velocity. A fast'' component dominates and is ascribed to subsurface'' emission. This component was satisfactorily modeled using a Monte Carlo simulation of the projectile trajectories {ital after} surface penetration. A slow'' component appears at very small angles and has a time dependence characteristic of the neutralization-deexcitation cascade predicted to occur above the surface {ital prior} to bulk penetration.
Apobec-1 and apolipoprotein B mRNA editing.

Abstract Apolipoprotein (apo)B mRNA editing is a novel mechanism for the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in mammals. It consists of a C-->U conversion of the first base of the codon CAA, encoding glutamine-2153, to UAA, an in-frame stop codon, in apoB mRNA. Since its initial description in 1987, substantial progress has been made in the last few years on the mechanism of editing. Apobec-1, the catalytic component of the apoB mRNA editing enzyme complex, has been cloned. This article begins with an overview of the general biology of apoB mRNA editing. It then provides an in-depth analysis of the structure, evolution and possible mechanism of action of apobec-1. ApoB mRNA editing is the prototype of RNA editing in mammals. What we learn from apoB mRNA editing will be useful in our understanding of other examples of RNA editing in vertebrates which are being described with increasing frequency.
Mexican Economic and Fiscal Policies to Sustain Political Stability

During the 1980s, Mexico was in a state of crisis. Its economic prosperity collapsed in 1982, and its political system almost self-destructed in 1988. Yet by 1994, the economy was once again growing and the party that had ruled the country since 1929 appeared poised to win the national election of August 1994, despite the traumatic assassination of the ruling party candidate for president. How did the Mexican regime do it? This article examines the role of economic policies in restoring the fortunes of the Mexican regime.
Mucosal plasma cell barrier disruption during intestine transplant rejection.

Background Intestinal allograft mucosa undergoes repopulation with host immunocytes. However, critical changes within key immunocyte subsets are not known. Methods To explain acute cellular rejection after intestine transplantation (ITx) on the basis of altered mucosal immunocytes, rejecting and rejection-free ITx allografts (n=17) were compared with genome-wide expression arrays. Cells identified by cell/lineage-specific genes were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. The corresponding phenotype and donor-specific alloreactivity were characterized in peripheral blood. Time-dependent changes in candidate cell(s) were evaluated in biopsies from an independent cohort of 12 children with ITx. Results Among 107 differentially expressed genes, three B-cell lineage-specific genes, CCR10, STAP1, and IGLL1, were down-regulated during ITx rejection and were selected for and achieved technical quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction replication. Down-regulation of the immunoglobulin (Ig)A+ plasma cell-specific CCR10 gene correlated with decreased mature mucosal CD138+ plasma cell numbers in corresponding biopsy specimens (r=0.761, P=0.006) and inversely correlated with enhanced alloreactivity of CD154+ T-cytotoxic memory cells (r=-0.56, P=0.031), which predict acute cellular rejection with high sensitivity. An independent cohort of serial biopsy specimens from 12 ITx recipients (1) confirmed relative CD138+ plasma cell depletion during rejection (P=0.042) and (2) showed increased IgG+-to-IgA+ cell ratios within 4 hr of reperfusion in rejection-prone allografts (P=0.037) and during ITx rejection (P=0.025), compared with rejection-free allografts. No differences existed late after ITx. Increased peripheral IgG+ CD27+ CD19+ memory B cells (P=0.004) were seen during ITx rejection in archived peripheral blood lymphocyte from test and replication cohorts. Conclusions Protracted depletion of the mucosal CD138+ plasma cell barrier and early mucosal infiltration with memory IgG+ cells characterize the rejection-prone intestine allograft. Mucosal IgA+ plasma cell barrier reconstitution may augur resolution of ITx rejection.
Utilization of Contract Administration Resources

This paper presents some of the current practices related to staffing, scheduling, and controlling manpower that are being tested or implemented in several key states. Both successful and unsuccessful practices are compiled and evaluated. A key requirement of each program is the understanding of the contractor's short-range work schedule. Several alternatives are presented to minimize the impact of changes in the contractor's operation. It is recognized that there are many seemingly insignificant factors that when combined result in measurable savings for the highway agency. In several states, research studies have identified a number of these aspects that had to be addressed before effective manpower utilization could be achieved. These aspects related to surveying, inspection and office work are examined and where possible potential dollar savings are cited. (Authors)
Wall fires and the approach to flashover in an enclosure

After listing some of the existing work on modelling pre-flashover room fires and wall fires within rooms, the effects that a ceiling has on the progress of a wall fire are discussed. Experimental results are used to show that the presence of a ceiling accelerates the progress of a wall fire. The wall-fire model SPREAD and the room-fire model FIRST are used seriatim to show that the heating effects due to trapping of hot gases under the ceiling can be calculated now. Flames impinging on the ceiling are constrained to travel horizontally, which increases the radiation feedback from the flames; this additional effect is briefly discussed. An accurate room-fire model, coupled with an upward-spread model, is a tool for assessing the potential fire hazard of various choices of room furnishings and wall linings, thus providing information on fire growth in rooms. This will facilitate the estimation of the fire hazards in buildings, and the development of strategies to cope with these hazards.
A Randomized Trial of Inhaled Cyclosporine in Lung-Transplant Recipients

background Conventional regimens of immunosuppressive drugs often do not prevent chronic rejection after lung transplantation. Topical delivery of cyclosporine in addition to conventional systemic immunosuppression might help prevent acute and chronic rejection events. methods We conducted a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of inhaled cyclosporine initiated within six weeks after transplantation and given in addition to systemic immunosuppression. A total of 58 patients were randomly assigned to inhale either 300 mg of aerosol cyclosporine (28 patients) or aerosol placebo (30 patients) three days a week for the first two years after transplantation. The primary end point was the rate of histologic acute rejection. results The rates of acute rejection of grade 2 or higher were similar in the cyclosporine and placebo groups: 0.44 episode (95 percent confidence interval, 0.31 to 0.62) vs. 0.46 episode (95 percent confidence interval, 0.33 to 0.64) per patient per year, respectively (P = 0.87 by Poisson regression). Survival was improved with aerosolized cyclosporine, with 3 deaths among patients receiving cyclosporine and 14 deaths among patients receiving placebo (relative risk of death, 0.20; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.06 to 0.70; P = 0.01). Chronic rejection–free survival also improved with cyclosporine, as determined by spirometric analysis (10 events in the cyclosporine group and 20 events in the placebo group; relative risk of chronic rejection, 0.38; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.18 to 0.82; P = 0.01) and histologic analysis (6 vs. 19 events, respectively; relative risk, 0.27; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.11 to 0.67; P = 0.005). The risks of nephrotoxic effects and opportunistic infection were similar for patients in the cyclosporine group and the placebo group. conclusions Inhaled cyclosporine did not improve the rate of acute rejection, but it did improve survival and extend periods of chronic rejection–free survival. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00268515.)
Hispanic Population Growth and State Immigration Policy: An Analysis of Restriction (2008–12)

Recent failures to enact immigration reform at the national level have been used as justification for a dramatic increase in legislation passed by the American states. Much of the legislation has exposed immigrants to higher scrutiny or prohibited recent immigrants from receiving certain benefits. However, other pieces of legislation have extended assistance to noncitizens, both documented and undocumented. This article examines state immigration laws from 2008 to 2012 using three dependent variables: the number of liberalizing state laws, the number of restricting state laws, and a composite Restrictive Score. We test eight different explanations and find that the most consistent predictor of a restrictive state posture is the growth of the Hispanic population in each state during the last census period.
Methods to determine solubility parameters of polymers using inverse gas chromatography

Experimental values of the Flory–Huggins parameter, χ, between polymers and solvents, are frequently used to determine the solubility parameters of the polymers. A method using nonlinear curve fitting of RTχ/V was compared to the linear regression method commonly used. It was found that the formulas for the solubility parameter were the same, but the linear method produced a slightly different entropy term. The nonlinear method gave a lower correlation coefficient and wider confidence intervals and was more effective at distinguishing systems than the linear model. The effect of the deviation of probes in the solubility parameter model is discussed. Using probes with low solubility parameters to measure the polymer solubility parameter gave wider confidence intervals. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 91: 2894–2902, 2004
Protective role of Arapaima gigas fish scales: Structure and mechanical behavior

The scales of the arapaima (Arapaima gigas), one of the largest freshwater fish in the world, can serve as inspiration for the design of flexible dermal armor. Each scale is composed of two layers: a laminate composite of parallel collagen fibrils and a hard, highly mineralized surface layer. We review the structure of the arapaima scales and examine the functions of the different layers, focusing on the mechanical behavior, including tension and penetration of the scales, with and without the highly mineralized outer layer. We show that the fracture of the mineral and the stretching, rotation and delamination of collagen fibrils dissipate a significant amount of energy prior to catastrophic failure, providing high toughness and resistance to penetration by predator teeth. We show that the arapaima's scale has evolved to minimize damage from penetration by predator teeth through a Bouligand-like arrangement of successive layers, each consisting of parallel collagen fibrils with different orientations. This inhibits crack propagation and restricts damage to an area adjoining the penetration. The flexibility of the lamellae is instrumental to the redistribution of the compressive stresses in the underlying tissue, decreasing the severity of the concentrated load produced by the action of a tooth. The experimental results, combined with small-angle X-ray scattering characterization and molecular dynamics simulations, provide a complete picture of the mechanisms of deformation, delamination and rotation of the lamellae during tensile extension of the scale.
Health Promotion in Long-Term Care: A Contradiction in Terms?:

While health promotion potentially could play a significant role in improving the health and quality of life of nursing home residents, several major changes must take place if this concept is to hold relevance for the elderly in the long-term care environment. First, interpretations of the concept of health promotion must be broadened to include a focus on macro- as well as micro-level change and on a diversity of target groups including, importantly, policy makers and providers. Second, the "youth bias" inherent in many conventionl health promotion efforts must be overcome, so that goals such as decreasing functional dependence in the frail elderly are seen as legitimate and appropriate health promotion foci. Third, viable alternatives to nursing home placements must be developed and adequately funded for the many frail elders who would be better served in less intense care environments. And fourth, the dependency producing nature of institutional long-term care must undergo major changes compatible wit...
Scaffolds direct Src-specific signaling in response to angiotensin II: new roles for Cas and GIT1.

Angiotensin II (AngII) is the key product of the rennin-angiotensin system and plays an important pathophysiological role in cardiovascular disease, including atherosclerosis, hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy. The importance of AngII in cardiovascular disease has been demonstrated in several
Quasimultiples of geometric designs

We construct quasimultiples of affine planes, inversive planes, and unitals from geometrical configurations in various finite geometries. All designs have k=@l. These designs are simple (no repeated blocks), and all appear to be irreducible in the sense that a quasimultiple of type P will have no subdesign isomorphic to P. This is verified for small orders by computer computations.
Reduction of 1,2-dibromoethane in the presence of zero-valent iron

The degradation reaction of 1,2-dibromoethane (ethylene dibromide or EDB) in water was studied in the presence of zero-valent iron (acid-cleaned, cast iron) in well-mixed batch aqueous systems. The observed products were ethylene and bromide ions. Carbon and bromine mass recoveries of >95% were obtained. Bromoethane and vinyl bromide were not observed. The reduction rates of bromoethane and vinyl bromide with iron indicate that they should have been observed if they were significant reaction intermediates for EDB. The results indicate that reductive {beta}-elimination may be the dominant reaction pathway. Reaction kinetics are rapid and pseudo-first order. The activation energy was determined to be 50 kJ/mol, indicating that the reaction rate may not be aqueous phase diffusion controlled but rather controlled by the chemical reaction rate on the iron surface. Metallic iron may be a suitable treatment approach for EDB-contaminated groundwater in above-ground, as well as in situ applications, due to rapid kinetics and nontoxic products.
Tuning a process while performing SPC: an approach based on the sequential design of experiments

An approach to process control called generalized SPC which allows for the diagnosis of a process while the process is being tuned is discussed. A control module, the run by run controller, that implements a form of adaptive control based on the sequential design of experiments is discussed. Statistical process control is compared to the run by run controller. >
Epicardial macroreentrant ventricular tachycardia associated with a left ventricular aneurysm.

A 62-year-old man with severe coronary artery disease and a left ventricular aneurysm underwent catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT) with right bundle branch block QRS morphology. Endocardial bipolar voltage mapping with standard threshold settings demonstrated no low-voltage areas within the aneurysm. Catheter ablation of the epicardial surface of the aneurysm eliminated the VT. Endocardial bipolar voltage mapping with any other settings could not predict the site of the epicardial arrhythmogenic substrate whereas endocardial unipolar voltage mapping could. Endocardial unipolar voltage mapping may be helpful for predicting epicardial arrhythmogenic substrates. (PACE 2012; 35:e13–e16)
A method of direct corona imaging on a dielectric transparency

The standard scheme of Kirlian photography is modified to have water on top of a thin mylar dielectric layer underneath which the object is placed. Water serves both as an electrode and as a constant-temperature heat reservoir. High voltage (HV) is applied between object and water to create sustained corona discharges. Experiments showed that, under an AC or pulsating-current excitation over a duration of minutes, a permanent optical image becomes retained on the mylar surface, which is then usable for projection or for direct viewing with slanted lighting. Direct current approaches were found inefficient to produce the same results. A thermo-plastic theory is hypothesized to account for the observations.
The impact of interventions on appointment and clinical outcomes for individuals with diabetes: a systematic review

Successful diabetes disease management involves routine medical care with individualized patient goals, self-management education and on-going support to reduce complications. Without interventions that facilitate patient scheduling, improve attendance to provider appointments and provide patient information to provider and care team, preventive services cannot begin. This review examines interventions based upon three focus areas: 1) scheduling the patient with their provider; 2) getting the patient to their appointment, and; 3) having patient information integral to their diabetes care available to the provider. This study identifies interventions that improve appointment management and preparation as well as patient clinical and behavioral outcomes. A systematic review of the literature was performed using MEDLINE, CINAHL and the Cochrane library. Only articles in English and peer-reviewed articles were chosen. A total of 77 articles were identified that matched the three focus areas of the literature review: 1) on the schedule, 2) to the visit, and 3) patient information. These focus areas were utilized to analyze the literature to determine intervention trends and identify those with improved diabetes clinical and behavioral outcomes. The articles included in this review were published between 1987 and 2013, with 46 of them published after 2006. Forty-two studies considered only Type 2 diabetes, 4 studies considered only Type 1 diabetes, 15 studies considered both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, and 16 studies did not mention the diabetes type. Thirty-five of the 77 studies in the review were randomized controlled studies. Interventions that facilitated scheduling patients involved phone reminders, letter reminders, scheduling when necessary while monitoring patients, and open access scheduling. Interventions used to improve attendance were letter reminders, phone reminders, short message service (SMS) reminders, and financial incentives. Interventions that enabled routine exchange of patient information included web-based programs, phone calls, SMS, mail reminders, decision support systems linked to evidence-based treatment guidelines, registries integrated with electronic medical records, and patient health records. The literature review showed that simple phone and letter reminders for scheduling or prompting of the date and time of an appointment to more complex web-based multidisciplinary programs with patient self-management can have a positive impact on clinical and behavioral outcomes for diabetes patients. Multifaceted interventions aimed at appointment management and preparation during various phases of the medical outpatient care process improves diabetes disease management.
Safety and efficacy of bevacizumab with hypofractionated stereotactic irradiation for recurrent malignant gliomas.

Purpose Preclinical studies suggest that inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) improves glioma response to radiotherapy. Bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody against VEGF, has shown promise in recurrent gliomas, but the safety and efficacy of concurrent bevacizumab with brain irradiation has not been extensively studied. The objectives of this study were to determine the safety and activity of this combination in malignant gliomas. Methods and Materials After prior treatment with standard radiation therapy patients with recurrent glioblastoma (GBM) and anaplastic gliomas (AG) received bevacizumab (10 mg/kg intravenous) every 2 weeks of 28-day cycles until tumor progression. Patients also received 30 Gy of hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (HFSRT) in five fractions after the first cycle of bevacizumab. Results Twenty-five patients (20 GBM, 5 AG; median age 56 years; median Karnofsky Performance Status 90) received a median of seven cycles of bevacizumab. One patient did not undergo HFSRT because overlap with prior radiotherapy would exceed the safe dose allowed to the optic chiasm. Three patients discontinued treatment because of Grade 3 central nervous system intratumoral hemorrhage, wound dehiscence, and bowel perforation. Other nonhematologic and hematologic toxicities were transient. No radiation necrosis was seen in these previously irradiated patients. For the GBM cohort, overall response rate was 50%, 6-month progression-free survival was 65%; median overall survival was 12.5 months, and 1-year survival was 54%. Discussion Bevacizumab with HFSRT is safe and well tolerated. Radiographic responses, duration of disease control, and survival suggest that this regimen is active in recurrent malignant glioma.
The Impact of Variability of Item Parameter Estimators on Test Information Function

The impact of uncertainty about item parameters on test information functions is investigated. The information function of a test is one of the most important tools in item response theory (IRT). Inaccuracy in the estimation of test information can have substantial consequences on data analyses based on IRT. In this article, the major part (called the adjusted term) of the deviation of an estimated test information function from the true test information function due to the uncertainty of item parameters was approximated asymptotically, and a simulation study shows that this approximation captures the difference between the estimated and the true information functions rather well. A real data example shows that the magnitude of an estimated adjusted term can be substantially large when a sample size is relatively small.
SmartMobiMine: Smart mobile data mining techniques to support 4G mobile networks

The main objective of this research is to design, implement, and evaluate a new generation of smart mobile data mining techniques called SmartMobiMine that will be used in the integrated structure of the 4G mobile networks to support and develop the essential services in mobile networks. SmartMobiMine techniques will integrate different types of information to support mobile users. Our research will include using SmartMobiMine techniques to develop new location management, handoff, and load balancing techniques to support the integrated 4G mobile networks. This paper gives an overview of the proposed SmartMobiMine techniques. Initial results show that SmartMobiMine techniques are promising.
Some experiments with case-based search

Knowedge-based problem solvers traditionally merge knowledge about a domain with more general heuristics in an effort to confront novel problem situations intelligently. While domain knowledge is usually represented in terms of a domain model, the case-based reasoning (CBR) approach to problem solving utilizes domain knowledge in the form of past problem solving experience. In this paper we show how the CBR approach to problem solving forms the basis for a class of heuristic search techniques. Given a search space and operators for moving about the space, we can use a case-base of known problem solutions to guide us through the search. In this way, the case-base operates as a type of evaluation function used to prune the space and facilitate search. We will illustrate these ideas by presenting a CBR search algorithm as applied to the 8-puzzle, along with results from a set of experiments. The experiments evaluate 8-puzzle performance while manipulating different case-bases and case-base encoding techniques as independent variables. Our results indicate that there are general principles operating here which may be of use in a variety of applications where the domain model is weak but experience is strong.
Assessment of arsenic mobility in the soils of some golf courses in South Florida.

High concentrations of arsenic have been detected in soils and underlying groundwater of some South Florida golf courses, indicating the possible impact of the application of arsenic-containing herbicides.The mobility of arsenic in the soils from selected golf courses was studied using a simple two-step sequential extraction procedure.Sodium nitrate (0.1 M), potassium dihydrogen phosphate (0.1 M) and concentrated nitric acid were used to obtain mobile, mobilizable, and pseudo total arsenic fractions.Soils were separated into fine (-0.25 mm) and large (0.25–0.75 mm) particle size fractions.Arsenic contents were correlated with the distribution of iron (R s0.4827), manganese 2 soil organic matter, indicating that the oxides yhydroxides of iron, manganese and aluminum control the distribution of arsenic in these soils.Sodium nitrate and potassium dihydrogen phosphate extractants used in this study extracted large portions of arsenic from most soil samples studied.This is especially true for the fine fraction where the extractable arsenic ranged from 9.2 to 51.3% with an average of 28.7"13.3%, whereas in the large fraction, arsenic ranged from 7.2 to 24.7% with an average of 15.4"6.4%. These extractants, however, release only small amounts of iron, manganese, and aluminum.It seems likely that arsenic can be released by sodium nitrate and potassium dihydrogen phosphate without significant dissolution of the oxides yhydroxides of iron, manganese, and aluminum in these soil samples. 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Piperaquine Resistance Is Associated with a Copy Number Variation on Chromosome 5 in Drug-Pressured Plasmodium falciparum Parasites

The combination of piperaquine and dihydroartemisinin has recently become the official first-line therapy in several Southeast Asian countries. The pharmacokinetic mismatching of these drugs, whose plasma half-lives are ~20 days and ~1 h, respectively, implies that recrudescent or new infections emerging shortly after treatment cessation will encounter piperaquine as a monotherapy agent. This creates substantial selection pressure for the emergence of resistance. To elucidate potential resistance determinants, we subjected cloned Plasmodium falciparum Dd2 parasites to continuous piperaquine pressure in vitro (47 nM; ~2-fold higher than the Dd2 50% inhibitory concentration [IC(50)]). The phenotype of outgrowth parasites was assayed in two clones, revealing an IC(50) against piperaquine of 2.1 μM and 1.7 μM, over 100-fold greater than that of the parent. To identify the genetic determinant of resistance, we employed comparative whole-genome hybridization analysis. Compared to the Dd2 parent, this analysis found (in both resistant clones) a novel single-nucleotide polymorphism in P. falciparum crt (pfcrt), deamplification of an 82-kb region of chromosome 5 (that includes pfmdr1), and amplification of an adjacent 63-kb region of chromosome 5. Continued propagation without piperaquine selection pressure resulted in "revertant" piperaquine-sensitive parasites. These retained the pfcrt polymorphism and further deamplified the chromosome 5 segment that encompasses pfmdr1; however, these two independently generated revertants both lost the neighboring 63-kb amplification. These results suggest that a copy number variation event on chromosome 5 (825600 to 888300) is associated with piperaquine resistance. Transgene expression studies are underway with individual genes in this segment to evaluate their contribution to piperaquine resistance.
How is spatial context learning integrated over signal versus noise? A primacy effect in contextual cueing.

Over repeated exposure to particular visual search displays, subjects are able to implicitly extract regularities that then make search more efficient—a phenomenon known as contextual cueing. Here we explore how the learning involved in contextual cueing is formed, maintained, and updated over experience. During an initial training phase, a group of signal first subjects searched through a series of predictive displays (where distractor locations were perfectly correlated with the target location), followed with no overt break by a series of unpredictive displays (where repeated contexts were uncorrelated with target locations). A second noise first group of subjects encountered the unpredictive displays followed by the predictive displays. Despite the fact that both groups had the same overall exposure to signal and noise, only the signal first group demonstrated subsequent contextual cueing. This primacy effect indicates that initial experience can result in hypotheses about regularities in displays—or ...
Using CSEM techniques to map the shallow section of seafloor: From the coastline to the edges of the continental slope

Many important processes occur within the shallow section of the seafloor on the continental shelf and slope, yet conventional geophysical constraints on the physical properties within this critical boundary layer are limited. Some of the key constraints involve quantification of fluids within the seafloor, which can be provided by electrical methods. This paper reviews the application of a towed EM system to map the uppermost 20 m of seafloor in a variety of settings ranging from nearshore regions in water depths of approximately 10 m on the continental shelf out to water depths of 1300 m . The system is a mapping tool that provides areal maps of seafloor resistivity and has been used for a variety of purposes, including sedimentary characterization and facies mapping, evaluation of groundwater discharge, and mapping seafloor mounds in the Gulf of Mexico, thought to contain massive deposits of gas hydrate.
Adrenocortical suppression and myocardial infarction in non-arteriosclerotic (virgin) and arteriosclerotic (breeder) rats.

Abstract Non-arteriosclerotic, virgin and arteriosclerotic, breeder rats were treated with aniline to suppress adrenal steroidogenic capacity and responsiveness to the stress of acute myocardial infarction. After two weeks of aniline treatment, some of the non-arteriosclerotic and arteriosclerotic animals were given two injections of isoproterenol, spaced 24 h apart, to induce massive myocardial infarction. On the 3rd day, when myocardial necrosis reaches its zenith, the animals were sacrificed. Aniline-induced adrenal insufficiency caused increased mortality, absence of congestive heart failure, cardiac and adrenal enlargement but no evidence of the characteristic intense catabolism and increased corticoid production which attends acute myocardial infarction. Serum enzymes, e.g., SGOT, SGPT and LDH, triglycerides, but not glucose, free fatty acids and cholesterol, became acutely elevated in animals treated with aniline and isoproterenol. Animals developed a fatty liver, beta cell degranulation, post hypophysectomy-like changes in their adrenal cortices, unusually severe infarction, marked distention of intermuscular spaces, frequent foci of dystrophic calcification and cartilaginous metaplasia of the papillary muscles. It is believed that aniline-induced adrenal suppression altered the usual pathophysiologic response to acute myocardial infarction.
Legal advice, moral paralysis and the death of Samuel Linares.

Legal advice lies close to the death of Samuel Linares, closer than it usually does to the deaths of the many who die every day in American hospitals. Samuel's parents wanted the attending physician to disconnect the ventilator of their permanently unconscious son and allow him to die, something they saw as right for their son and their family. But this never happened. Samuel was not allowed to meet the death he had so narrowly avoided in August of 1988 when he accidentally swallowed a balloon and choked. He did not die uneventfully after his parents and the clinicians caring for him had carefully deliberated about the personal, ethical and professional propriety of stopping the ventilator and made a responsible decision about his fate. Instead, Rudy Linares had to ward off nurses and security guards with a handgun until he disconnected his son's ventilator and held him in his arms until he died. According to the attending physician, Dr. Goldman, “There was no ethical difference of opinion here. The physicians agreed that the child was in an irreversible coma and would not recover. There was no medical opposition to removing the ventilator. What we faced was a legal obstacle.” (Emphasis added.)
Selecting At-Risk Readers in First Grade for Early Intervention: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study of Decision Rules and Procedures

Response to intervention (RTI) models for identifying learning disabilities rely on the accurate identification of children who, without Tier 2 tutoring, would develop reading disability (RD). This study examined 2 questions concerning the use of 1st-grade data to predict future RD: (a) Does adding initial word identification fluency (WIF) and 5 weeks of WIF progress-monitoring data (WIF-Level and WIF-Slope) to a typical 1st-grade prediction battery improve RD prediction? and (b) Can classification tree analysis improve the prediction accuracy compared to logistic regression? Four classification models based on 206 1st-grade children followed through the end of 2nd grade were evaluated. A combination of initial WIF, WIF-Level, and WIF-Slope and classification tree analysis improved prediction sufficiently to recommend their use with RTI.
Biomechanical Properties of Hemlocks: A Novel Approach to Evaluating Physical Barriers of the Plant–Insect Interface and Resistance to a Phloem-Feeding Herbivore

Micromechanical properties that help mediate herbivore access may be particularly important when considering herbivorous insects that feed with piercing-sucking stylets. We used microindentation to quantify the micromechanical properties of hemlock, Tsuga spp., to quantify the hardness of the feeding site of the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae. We measured hardness of the hemlock leaf cushion, the stylet insertion point of the adelgid, across four seasons in a 1 y period for four hemlock species growing in a common garden, including eastern, western, mountain, and northern Japanese hemlocks. Leaf cushion hardness was highest in the fall and winter and lowest in summer for all species. Northern Japanese hemlock had relatively greater hardness than the remaining species. Our data contributes an additional perspective to the existing framework within which greater susceptibility and subsequent mortality of eastern hemlocks is observed. The potential application of microindentation to understanding the nature and relevance of plant mechanical defenses in plant-herbivore interactions is also demonstrated and highlighted.
Political Process Theory and Transnational Movements: Dialectics of Protest among Nigeria's Ogoni Minority

Political process theory, developed through the analysis of national social movements, is now routinely applied to movements seeking transnational support. An examination of networking by Nigeria's Ogoni ethnic minority during the 1990s suggests the need for caution in this analytic expansion. Two factors neglected by process theory, leadership and political exchange, are crucial to explaining interactions between local and transnational actors. In the Ogoni case, globally-oriented leaders framed international opportunities for local constituents, shaping the movement's goals and strategies. To realize these opportunities, Ogoni leaders projected the movement to potential backers abroad. At first rejected, the Ogoni reframed the movement to match the substantive, tactical, and organizational concerns of these powerful actors, reducing the costs and increasing the benefits of support. The ultimate effects of third party support were ambiguous, however, though in ways different than predicted by process theory. Shifting from their core issues and undertaking risky mobilizations to attract transnational support, the Ogoni also drew violent state repression which international actors were powerless to stop. These findings suggest that key political process concepts require modification when applied to transnational movements.
PepD Participates in the Mycobacterial Stress Response Mediated through MprAB and SigE

Currently, one-third of the world's population is believed to be latently infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The mechanisms by which M. tuberculosis establishes latent infection remain largely undefined. mprAB encodes a two-component signal transduction system required by M. tuberculosis for aspects of persistent infection. MprAB regulates a large and diverse group of genetic determinants in response to membrane stress, including the extracytoplasmic function (ECF) sigma factor sigE and the HtrA-like serine protease pepD. Recent studies have demonstrated that PepD functions as both a protease and chaperone in vitro. In addition, inactivation of pepD alters the virulence of M. tuberculosis in a mouse model system of infection. Here, we demonstrate that PepD plays an important role in the stress response network of Mycobacterium mediated through MprAB and SigE. In particular, we demonstrate that the protease activity of PepD requires the PDZ domain, in addition to the catalytic serine at position 317. pepD expression initiates from at least three promoters in M. tuberculosis, including one that is regulated by SigE and is located upstream of the mprA coding sequence. Deletion of pepD or mprAB in Mycobacterium smegmatis and M. tuberculosis alters the stress response phenotypes of these strains, including increasing sensitivity to SDS and cell wall antibiotics and upregulating the expression of stress-responsive determinants, including sigE. Taking these data together, we hypothesize that PepD utilizes its PDZ domain to recognize and process misfolded proteins at the cell membrane, leading to activation of the MprAB and SigE signaling pathways and subsequent establishment of a positive feedback loop that facilitates bacterial adaptation.
Spring plant phenology and false springs in the conterminous US during the 21st century

The onset of spring plant growth has shifted earlier in the year over the past several decades due to rising global temperatures. Earlier spring onset may cause phenological mismatches between the availability of plant resources and dependent animals, and potentially lead to more false springs, when subsequent freezing temperatures damage new plant growth. We used the extended spring indices to project changes in spring onset, defined by leaf out and by first bloom, and predicted false springs until 2100 in the conterminous United States (US) using statistically-downscaled climate projections from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 5 ensemble. Averaged over our study region, the median shift in spring onset was 23 days earlier in the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 scenario with particularly large shifts in the Western US and the Great Plains. Spatial variation in phenology was due to the influence of short-term temperature changes around the time of spring onset versus season-long accumulation of warm temperatures. False spring risk increased in the Great Plains and portions of the Midwest, but remained constant or decreased elsewhere. We conclude that global climate change may have complex and spatially variable effects on spring onset and false springs, making local predictions of change difficult.
Urothelial Superior Vena Cava Syndrome with Limited Response to Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy (RT) is the standard of care for cases of superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome secondary to metastatic adenopathy. Histologies vary in radiosensitivity and response time, making alternative therapies such as chemotherapy and/or intravenous stenting preferable alternative options for certain diagnoses. Metastatic urothelial carcinoma is a particularly rare cause of SVC syndrome with only 3 cases reported in the literature. Consequently, optimal management remains challenging, particularly in cases of high tumor burden. Here we present a case of highly advanced metastatic urothelial cancer with SVC syndrome and tracheal compression. The patient started urgent RT but expired midway through her treatment course due to systemic progression of disease, requiring SVC and tracheal stenting. The authors review the literature including discussion of the few other known cases of SVC syndrome due to urothelial carcinoma and a review of this histology's response to RT. This experience suggests, that in cases of SVC syndrome with widespread advanced disease, stenting and chemotherapy with or without RT may be the most important initial treatment plan, depending on goals of care.
Non-Fully Resolved Questions about the Efficient/Nondominated Set

In this paper is discussed the state-of-the-art in the following topics pertaining to efficient and nondominated sets in multiple objective programming: (a) number of efficient extreme points (b) software implications (c) distribution of maximally efficient facets as to their dimensionality (d) criterion cone decomposition (e) proportion of unsupported nondominated criterion vectors (f) quad-trees for storage and retrieval (g) distributions of U-valuesNotation and Terminology Employed