cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Is Hospital Admission and Observation Required after a Normal Abdominal Computed Tomography Scan in Children with Blunt Abdominal Trauma

Abstract Objectives: The objective was to determine if hospital admission of children with blunt abdominaltrauma for observation of possible intraabdominal injury (IAI) is necessary after a normal abdominalcomputed tomography (CT) scan in the emergency department (ED).Methods: The authors conducted a prospective observational cohort study of children less than 18 yearsof age with blunt abdominal trauma who underwent an abdominal CT scan in the ED. Abdominal CTscans were obtained with intravenous contrast but no oral contrast. The decision to hospitalize thepatient was made by the attending emergency physician (EP) with the trauma or pediatric surgeryteams. An abnormal abdominal CT scan was deﬁned by the presence of any visualized IAI or ﬁndingssuggestive of possible IAI (e.g., intraperitoneal ﬂuid without solid organ injury). Patients were followedto determine if IAI was later diagnosed and the need for acute therapeutic intervention if IAI waspresent.Results: A total of 1,295 patients underwent abdominal CT, and 1,085 (84%) patients had normalabdominal CT scans in the ED and make up the study population. Seven-hundred thirty-seven (68%)were hospitalized, and 348 were discharged to home. None of the 348 patients discharged home and 2of the 737 hospitalized patients were identiﬁed with an IAI after a normal initial abdominal CT. The IAIsin patients with normal initial CT scans included a 10-year-old with a mesenteric hematoma and serosaltear at laparotomy and a 10-year-old with a perinephric hematoma on repeat CT. Neither underwentspeciﬁc therapy. The negative predictive value (NPV) of a normal abdominal CT scan for IAI was 99.8%(95% conﬁdence interval [CI] = 99.3% to 100%).Conclusions: Children with blunt abdominal trauma and a normal abdominal CT scan in the ED are atvery low risk of having a subsequently diagnosed IAI and are very unlikely to require a therapeuticintervention. Hospitalization of children for evaluation of possible undiagnosed IAI after a normalabdominal CT scan has a low yield and is generally unnecessary.ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2008; 15:895–899 a 2008 by the Society for Academic EmergencyMedicineKeywords: abdominal trauma, pediatrics, abdominal CT
RFID localization for tangible and embodied multi-user interaction with museum exhibits

RFID is usually used for identification but with some post-processing it can also be used for localization. These properties expand the typical range of possible interactions with digital displays in museums. Our goal is to encourage the collaborative investigation of a rich information space presented on an Ambient Display in a museum exhibit. We consider two different models of interacting with an exhibit: Tangible Control, wherein passive RFID tags are embedded in some artifacts and multiple users can control the information on the screen by moving those artifacts, and Embodied Control, wherein people directly carry an RFID tag and interact with the information by walking within the simulation space. Each model has different implications for how the visitors might relate (a) to the information being displayed, and (b) to one another. Here we present preliminary results on the suitability of a single-reader and passive tag setup for providing localization input.
Simulation of the Piston Driven Flow Inside a Cylinder With an Eccentric Port

A grid-free Lagrangian approach is applied to simulate the high Reynolds number unsteady flow inside a three-dimensional domain with moving boundaries. For this purpose, the Navier-Stokes equations are expressed in terms of the vorticity transport formulation. The convection and stretch ofvorticity are obtained using the Lagrangian vortex method, while diffusion is approximated by the random walk method. The boundary-element method is used to solve a potential flow problem formulated to impose the normal flux condition on the boundary of the domain. The no-slip condition is satisfied by a vortex tile generation mechanism at the solid boundary, which takes into account the time-varying boundary surfaces due to, e.g., a moving piston. The approach is entirely grid-free within the fluid domain, requiring only meshing of the surface boundary, and virtually free of numerical diffusion. The method is applied to study the evolution of the complex vortical structure forming inside the time-varying semi-confined geometry of a cylinder equipped with an eccentric inlet port and a harmonically driven piston
Economics, Performativity, and Social Reproduction in Global Development

Over the past decade, international development policy has paid increased attention to social reproduction. While this offers an improvement over past practices in which care work was all but ignored, these policy frameworks continue to fall short of feminist goals. One reason for this is the way that dominant economic representations of social reproduction continue to rest on a universalizing portrayal of the household economy and family life as mired in patriarchal tradition, which fails to capture the diversity of economic and affective arrangements in which reproductive labor takes place at the local level. In this paper, I develop an alternative conceptualization of economic and affective life that challenges dominant understandings of the distinctions between market and non-market activity, paid and unpaid labor, and work and intimacy to provide space for new feminist conceptualizations of economy and care that can capture the diversity of its sites and practices. Durante la ultima decada, la politi...
Ethnic Differences in Bone Mass and Bone Architecture

The term “osteoporosis” refers to a systemic skeletal condition that predisposes individuals to fragility fractures. Osteoporosis is characterized by a low bone mass, architectural deterioration of the bone tissue, and an increased fracture risk (Consensus Development Conference, 1991). It is well known that bone loss after middle age (menopause in women, some years later in men) is a universal phenomenon. However, the amount of peak bone mass achieved in young adulthood contributes to the likelihood of developing osteoporosis, since the effect of age-related bone loss will be different in individuals who start with high bone mass compared with those with a lower peak bone mass. Sex and ethnic differences in peak bone mass partially explain sex and ethnic differences in osteoporosis and fracture risk.
Rightful Rules: Authority, Order, and the Foundations of Global Governance

Global governance is an important and increasingly popular topic of inquiry. Nonetheless, existing research remains too statist, privileging states and limiting other forms of governance to the interstices of state power. Drawing on social contract theory, I offer an alternative approach that begins with the central role of authority in political life and develops a synthetic understanding of governance that applies equally to its myriad forms. I argue that we have, as a discipline, relied on a formal-legal conception of authority that is inappropriate to an international setting and has unduly limited enforcement to violence. I propose that global governance and its many forms can be understood and unified by a concept of relational authority, which treats authority as a social contract in which a governor provides a political order of value to a community in exchange for compliance by the governed with the rules necessary to produce that order. This conception of relational authority is followed by three illustrations of its central logic in (i) state-to-state hierarchy by the United States over Caribbean states, (ii) supranational authority by the World Trade Organization over member states, and (iii) private authority by credit rating agencies over corporations and sovereign borrowers. The conclusion outlines the research agenda that follows from this approach.
Differential effects of furosemide on porcine bronchial arterial and airway smooth muscle

Furosemide attenuates airway obstruction in asthmatic subjects when administered as an aerosol pretreatment. This protective effect of furosemide could be related to relaxation of bronchial smooth ...
Vector beam generation from a passively phase stable diffractive optical element interferometer

We demonstrate four optical vector beams states using a diffractive optical element interferometer. Such a scheme exhibits passive phase stability, making it suitable for linear and nonlinear optical (super-resolution) microscopy.
Reducing the harms of college student drinking: How Alan Marlatt changed approaches, outcomes, and the field

In this article, we discuss Alan Marlatt's contributions to the prevention and reduction of alcohol-related harms among college students. We consider Alan's early research that later led to the development and evaluation of college student drinking programs, and examine Alan's impact, both directly and indirectly through those he mentored and trained, as a scientist-practitioner. We review the recognition of the efficacy of Alan's programs, including the Alcohol Skills Training Program and Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students, in addition to extensions of these interventions in more recent studies. Finally, we discuss how Alan's work influences interventions with college student drinkers today, and how future directions will continue to be informed by his vision and values.
Inflammation-Mediated Notch Signaling Skews Fanconi Anemia Hematopoietic Stem Cell Differentiation

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) can either self-renew or differentiate into various types of cells of the blood lineage. Signaling pathways that regulate this choice of self-renewal versus differentiation are currently under extensive investigation. In this study, we report that deregulation of Notch signaling skews HSC differentiation in mouse models of Fanconi anemia (FA), a genetic disorder associated with bone marrow failure and progression to leukemia and other cancers. In mice expressing a transgenic Notch reporter, deletion of the Fanca or Fancc gene enhances Notch signaling in multipotential progenitors (MPPs), which is correlated with decreased phenotypic long-term HSCs and increased formation of MPP1 progenitors. Furthermore, we found an inverse correlation between Notch signaling and self-renewal capacity in FA hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Significantly, FA deficiency in MPPs deregulates a complex network of genes in the Notch and canonical NF-κB pathways. Genetic ablation or pharmacologic inhibition of NF-κB reduces Notch signaling in FA MPPs to near wild type level, and blocking either NF-κB or Notch signaling partially restores FA HSC quiescence and self-renewal capacity. These results suggest a functional crosstalk between Notch signaling and NF-κB pathway in regulation of HSC differentiation.
Metallic Fuels: The EBR-II Legacy and Recent Advances

Experimental Breeder Reactor – II (EBR-II) metallic fuel was qualified for high burnup to approximately 10 atomic per cent. Subsequently, the electrometallurgical treatment of this fuel was demonstrated. Advanced metallic fuels are now investigated for increased performance, including ultra-high burnup and actinide burning. Advances include additives to mitigate the fuel/cladding chemical interaction and uranium alloys that combine Mo, Ti and Zr to improve alloy performance. The impacts of the advances—on fabrication, waste streams, electrorefining, etc.—are found to be minimal and beneficial. Owing to extensive research literature and computational methods, only a modest effort is required to complete their development.
Studies of magnetic resonance phenomena in polymers. I. The effects of free volume and segmental mobility on the motion of nitroxide spin probes and labels in poly(methyl methacrylate)

Thin films of spin-probed and spin-labeled poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) have been examined by electron spin resonance (ESR) at X-band frequency (9.2 GHz) and at various temperatures. Direct spectral evidence is presented to indicate that the composite ESR spectra observed in a certain temperature range originate from two states of distinctly different mobility, one with slow motions corresponding to a glassy state and the other with fast motions corresponding to a liquidlike state. The coexistence of these two states at temperatures considerably below the glass transition temperature can be explained as a result of the effect of free volume in a solid polymeric glass.
Fuzzy Expert System for Object Labeling Integrated with Probabilistic Learning

This paper presents a Fuzzy Expert System that demonstrates a labeling method for multiple-object images based on the histogram analysis. The images are rock textures, and objects to be labeled are the constituent minerals. The system is used to explain the decision process of minerals identifications. The system introduces an approach that can be generalized to any domain-dependent images. The approach applies a probabilistic unsupervised learning on the image, which then provides presentation for the image with fewer gray levels. The histograms of the clustered images are analyzed for turning points range estimation for the image set. The turning points indicate a transition from one object to another. The system correctly labels the four image categories namely Pores Space, Grinded Materials, Quartz, and Feldspar. The system is tested using 51 rock textures images. The system creates the corresponding segmented and labeled binary images of the image set.
The racial geography of child welfare: toward a new research paradigm.

This article examines the community-level impact of concentrated child welfare agency involvement in African American neighborhoods. Based on interviews of 25 African American women in a Chicago neighborhood, the study found that residents were aware of intense agency involvement in their neighborhood and identified profound effects on social relationships including interference with parental authority, damage to children’s ability to form social relationships, and distrust among neighbors. The study also discovered a tension between respondents’ identification of adverse consequences of concentrated state supervision for family and community relationships and neighborhood reliance on agency involvement for needed financial support. The author discusses the implications of these findings for a new research paradigm aimed at understanding the community-level effects of racial disproportionality.
Experimental investigation on sound transmission through cavity-backed panels

A considerable amount of information has been developed in architectural acoustics on sound transmission through panels. Emphasis has been on high‐frequency transmission where “mass law” is applicable and coincidence effects are important. However, there has been only limited attention given to low‐frequency sound transmission. Low‐frequency sound transmission is stiffness controlled in the frequency region below structural resonances, and damping and stiffness controlled at resonances. Furthermore, the closed receiving room (cavity) behind the panel may have a significant effect on the panel dynamics and, therefore, the sound transmission. A panel backed by a closed cavity provides a meaningful model for studying low‐frequency sound transmission of the type encountered in aircraft for example. Although some theoretical work has been done on the subject, only limited experimental data are available in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to present some experimental findings on the effects of panel stiffness and receiving space absorption on low‐frequency sound transmission through panels into closed spaces. In addition, a simplified method for calculating the low‐frequency noise reduction of a cavity‐backed panel will be presented.
Self-Directed Care: An Evaluation

This study evaluates self-directed care (SDC), a program introduced in 2000 in Washington State to promote consumer direction in community-based services for persons with disabilities. This report summarizes findings on satisfaction with the program, service quality and consumer safety, instances and outcomes of consumer abuse and neglect, and staffing issues in SDC. Methods included surveys and interviews with participants in SDC and review of existing databases, complaint logs and reports, and departmental field notes. Major findings were no negative outcomes for consumers, improvements in quality of life and quality of care for consumers, high satisfaction, perception of SDC as a valued option, and the challenges of ensuring adequate staffing.
The anti-malarial drug halofantrine and its metabolite N-desbutylhalofantrine block HERG potassium channels

Objective: The antimalarial drug halofantrine has been associated with QT interval prolongation and with fatal and nonfatal arrhythmias in patients without known underlying cardiac abnormalities. A common target for QT interval-prolonging drugs is the human ether - a - go - go gene ( HERG ) which encodes the pore forming subunit of the rapidly activating delayed rectifier K+ current ( I Kr). Methods: We studied the effects of halofantrine (0.1–1000 nM) and its major metabolite N -desbutylhalofantrine (3–1000 nM) on wild type HERG K+ channels stably expressed in HEK 293 cells, using the whole cell patch-clamp recording technique. Results: Halofantrine and N -desbutylhalofantrine blocked HERG K+ channels in a concentration-dependent manner with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 21.6 nM ( n = 31 cells) and 71.7 nM ( n = 18 cells), respectively. The development of drug block for both halofantrine and N -desbutylhalofantrine required channel activation indicative of open and/or inactivated state block. Drug washout or cell hyperpolarization resulted in minimal current recovery consistent with virtually irreversible binding. Using a ventricular action potential voltage clamp protocol, halofantrine and N -desbutylhalofantrine block of HERG current was greatest during phases 2 and 3 of the action potential waveform. Conclusion: We conclude that both halofantrine and N -desbutylhalofantrine cause high affinity block of HERG K+ channels. Although N -desbutylhalofantrine has been suggested to be a safer antimalarial agent compared to halofantrine, our results suggest that the gain in the safety margin for QT interval prolongation-related cardiotoxicity is minimal.
Generalized Whittaker vectors for holomorphic and quaternionic representations

The conjugacy class of parabolic subgroups with Heisenberg unipotent radical in a simple Lie groups over ℂ not of type \(C_{n}\) contains an element defined over ℝ for each quaternionic real form. In this paper we study the Whittaker models for quaternionic discrete series of these real forms and prove results analogous and by analogous methods to the case of simple Lie groups over ℝ that are the automorphism groups of tube type Hermitian symmetric domain and (so-called Bessel models) for holomorphic representations. In particular we calculate the decomposition of the space of Whittaker vectors under the action of the stabilizer of the corresponding character in a Levi factor of the Heisenberg parabolic subgroup.
Novel genes exhibit distinct patterns of function acquisition and network integration

Genes are created by a variety of evolutionary processes, some of which generate duplicate copies of an entire gene, while others rearrange pre-existing genetic elements or co-opt previously non-coding sequence to create genes with 'novel' sequences. These novel genes are thought to contribute to distinct phenotypes that distinguish organisms. The creation, evolution, and function of duplicated genes are well-studied; however, the genesis and early evolution of novel genes are not well-characterized. We developed a computational approach to investigate these issues by integrating genome-wide comparative phylogenetic analysis with functional and interaction data derived from small-scale and high-throughput experiments. We examine the function and evolution of new genes in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We observed significant differences in the functional attributes and interactions of genes created at different times and by different mechanisms. Novel genes are initially less integrated into cellular networks than duplicate genes, but they appear to gain functions and interactions more quickly than duplicates. Recently created duplicated genes show evidence of adapting existing functions to environmental changes, while young novel genes do not exhibit enrichment for any particular functions. Finally, we found a significant preference for genes to interact with other genes of similar age and origin. Our results suggest a strong relationship between how and when genes are created and the roles they play in the cell. Overall, genes tend to become more integrated into the functional networks of the cell with time, but the dynamics of this process differ significantly between duplicate and novel genes.
Microvascular anastomosis using the milliwatt CO2 laser

The milliwatt CO2 laser was used to anastomose small vessels in a rat femoral artery model. The technique requires multiple brief applications of 60–70 mW after placement of three equidistant 10–0 nylon stay sutures. The vessel histology is described immediately and 1, 3, 7, and 21 days after the procedure. The laser effects tissue bonding through changes in the collagen of the adventitia and media. Subsequent healing consists of new collagen deposition in the adventitia and re-endothelialization of the intima associated with neointimal proliferation at 3 weeks.
Assisting Women Victims of Violence Who Experience Multiple Barriers to Services

This study examines the extent to which programs for domestic violence and sexual assault gear services toward women facing multiple barriers (i.e., substance abuse disorders, mental health problems or learning disabilities, incarceration, and prostitution) and the unique problems such women encounter when accessing services. As part of a national evaluation, the authors interviewed staff from 20 programs focusing their service efforts on multibarriered women. Problems encountered by such women include lack of services dealing with multiple barriers, uneducated service providers, and batterers using women's barriers to further control or victimize them. This article describes the strategies programs use to meet these women's distinct needs.
Isolation, Characterization, and Functional Assessment of Oxidatively Modified Subfractions of Circulating Low-Density Lipoproteins

Objective— Current evidence suggests that oxidatively modified human plasma low-density lipoproteins (ox-LDLs) are proatherogenic and cytotoxic to endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells. The present study describes a method using ion-exchange chromatography that is capable of large-scale subfractionation of LDL for adequate analyses of composition or bioactivities. Methods and Results— LDLs from normolipidemic (N-LDL) and homozygous familial hypercholesterolemic (FH-LDL) subjects were separated into 5 subfractions (L1 through L5) by high-capacity ion-exchange chromatography. The most strongly retained fraction from FH subjects, FH-L5, suppressed DNA synthesis in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells and stimulated mononuclear cell adhesion to cultured endothelial cells under flow conditions in vitro. L5, which represented 1.1±0.2% and 3.7±1.7% of the LDL from N-LDL and FH-LDL, respectively, was more triglyceride-rich (17% versus 5%) and cholesteryl ester-poor (23% versus 33%) than were L1 through...
An improved method for the computation of ligand steric effects based on solid angles

An improved algorithm has been designed to characterize ligand interactions in organometallic and coordination complexes in terms of the percentage of the metal coordination sphere shielded by a given ligand. The computations for ligand solid angles are performed numerically and employ introduced atomic radii that are larger than covalent but smaller than van der Waals radii. This approach enables facile evaluation of steric congestion in the metal coordination sphere, quantification of unfavorable interligand contacts, and in some cases prediction of the complex composition or ligand coordination on purely geometrical grounds.
Managing suicidal ideation in a breast cancer cohort seeking reconstructive surgery

Emotional and social adaptation is a central challenge for women with recently diagnosed breast cancer [1]. Prevalence rates for anxiety and depressive disorders among a heterogeneous sample of cancer patients are estimated to range from 10 to 40% [2,3], and women with newly diagnosed breast cancer demonstrate comparable rates of affective distress [4]. As a result, breast reconstruction outcome studies routinely assess psychological variables and their influence on various patient-specific outcomes such as aesthetic satisfaction and functional status. While these studies typically include measures of preoperative depression and anxiety as possible predictors of clinical outcomes, relatively little attention has been paid to the identification of suicidal ideation (SI) in this cohort. This may seem surprising given evidence that depression is highly prevalent among cancer patients and, when increasingly severe, presents a primary risk for SI and intention [5]. While numerous studies describe the incidence of suicide among cancer patients in general [6], and women with breast cancer more specifically [7], there is sparse information on the prevalence of suicidal ideation among these populations. The assessment of SI in breast cancer patients presenting for reconstruction is in line with the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Commission on Cancer guidelines for distress screening of all cancer patients by 2015 [8]. We examined the prevalence of preoperative anxiety and depression among women enrolled in an ongoing prospective study of post-mastectomy breast reconstruction procedure outcomes. The prevalence of moderate-to-severe SI challenged the study team to devise an identification and response system to intervene with potential at-risk patients and triage them to appropriate mental health attention. We describe this system and propose its consideration for future surgical outcome studies where depression and SI are of reasonable concern.
LEAF ANATOMY OF ORCUTTIEAE (POACEAE: CHLORIDOIDEAE): MORE EVIDENCE OF C4 PHOTOSYNTHESIS WITHOUT KRANZ ANATOMY

C4 photosynthesis without Kranz anatomy (single-cell C4 photosynthesis) occurs in only 0.003% of known species of C4 flowering plants. To add insight into the evolution of C4 photosynthesis, we studied the tribe Orcuttieae (Poaceae: Chloridoideae), which has species that can grow under both aquatic and terrestrial conditions, and utilize single-cell C4 photosynthesis when growing submerged. Carbon isotope ratios from aquatic, floating, and terrestrial leaves were in the range 212.25 to 214.31, suggesting that all species carry out C4 photosynthesis. Using light microscopy, we examined the anatomy of aquatic, floating and terrestrial leaves from eight of the nine species in the tribe to assess the pattern of evolution of C4 photosynthesis and Kranz anatomy among these vernal pool grasses. Kranz anatomy was present in all floating and terrestrial leaves of Orcuttia californica, O. inaequalis, O. pilosa, O. tenuis, O. viscida,Tuctoria greenei, T. mucronata ,a ndNeostapfia colusana. Although carbon isotope data indicated C4 photosynthesis, aquatic leaves of all members of Orcuttia lacked Kranz anatomy, while aquatic leaves of Tuctoria and Neostapfia possessed Kranz anatomy. When considered in a phylogenetic context, these findings support previously proposed hypotheses suggesting that Orcuttieae are derived from a terrestrial ancestor and are now becoming more specialized to an aquatic environment.
Trend Analysis Reveals a Recent Reduction in Mirex Concentrations in Coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and Chinook (O. tshawytscha) Salmon from Lake Ontario

Lake Ontario, bordering both Canada and the United States, is the only Great Lake with persistent, significant levels of mirex in its biota. Some models suggested that it would take hundreds of years before mirex disappeared from the ecosystem. From 1977 to 1996 the mirex concentrations in coho and chinook salmon greater than 2 kg in weight exceeded the 0.1 mg/kg Food and Drug Administration (FDA) action level for mirex. To determine temporal trends in salmonine mirex levels, slopes and elevations of the regression lines of mirex concentration versus fish weight were compared for each of the six sampling years (1977, 1982, 1986, 1992, 1996, and 1999) by ANCOVA with weight as a covariate. Within 24 years of mirex being banned, mirex least-squares mean concentrations in salmon fillets had decreased significantly. ANCOVA revealed that the slope of the 1999 regression line was significantly flatter (P < or = 0.014) than the slopes of all other regression lines except 1996 (P = 0.966). A Tukey test revealed that the elevation of the 1999 regression line was also significantly lower than all other years (P < 0.001). Based on our results, mirex concentrations in the fillets of most salmon under the size of 12 kg are now below the 0.1 mg/kg United States FDA action level for human consumption. Models suggest that mirex reductions in biota are most likely due to the settling of mirex-contaminated organisms to the sediments and the loss of mirex from the lake through the St Lawrence River. A third mechanism is suggested as the cause of the higher rate of reduction observed in the mid to late 1990s--the control and removal of contaminated groundwater at the former Hooker Chemical site on the Niagara River, the major source of mirex in the watershed of Lake Ontario.
Mathematical foundations of computed tomography.

Along with a review of some of the mathematical foundations of computed tomography, the article contains new results on derivation of reconstruction formulas in a general setting encompassing all standard formulas; discussion and examples of the role of the point spread function with recipes for producing suitable ones; formulas for, and examples of, the reconstruction of certain functions of the attenuation coefficient, e.g., sharpened versions of it, some of them with the property that reconstruction at a point requires only the attenuation along rays meeting a small neighborhood of the point.
The catalytic mechanism of galactose mutarotase

Galactose mutarotase catalyzes the first step in normal galactose metabolism by catalyzing the conversion of -D-galactose to -D-galactose. The structure of the enzyme from Lactococcus lactis was recently solved in this laboratory and shown to be topologically similar to domain 5 of -galactosidase. From this initial X-ray analysis, four amino acid residues were demonstrated to be intimately involved in sugar binding to the protein: His 96, His 170, Asp 243, and Glu 304. Here we present a combined X-ray crystallographic and kinetic analysis designed to examine the role of these residues in the reaction mechanism of the enzyme. For this investigation, the following site-directed mutant proteins were prepared: H96N, H170N, D243N, D243A, E304Q, and E304A. All of the structures of these proteins, complexed with either glucose or galactose, were solved to a nominal resolution of 1.95 A or better, and their kinetic parameters were measured against D-galactose, D-glucose, L-arabinose, or D-xylose. From these studies, it can be concluded that Glu 304 and His 170 are critical for catalysis and that His 96 and Asp 243 are important for proper substrate positioning within the active site. Specifically, Glu 304 serves as the active site base to initiate the reaction by removing the proton from the C-1 hydroxyl group of the sugar substrate and His 170 functions as the active site acid to protonate the C-5 ring oxygen.
An Electron Microscopical Study of the Morphology of Polysiloxane Block Copolymers

The domain structure of several block copolymers is well documented. The optical behavior of solutions of polyethyleneoxide-polystyrene bloc copolymers gives evidence of liquid-crystal-like structure(1). Studies using the electron microscope to investigate these films of block copolymers, notably polystyrene-polybutadiene (2), have revealed spherical, rodlike or lameller domains depending upon the relative proportions of the two components. Theories based upon thermodynamic considerations have been proposed to explain the various morphologies(3).
Carditis in Lyme Disease Susceptible and Resistant Strains of Laboratory Mice Infected with Borrelia Burgdorferi

The clinical and pathologic evolution of cardiac Lyme disease was evaluated in four-week-old susceptible C3H/He (C3H) and resistant C57Bl/6 (B6) mice on days 3, 6, 10, 15, 30, 60, and 90 after intradermal inoculation with Borrelia burgdorferi strain N40. Culture, DNA polymerase chain reaction, in situ nucleic acid hybridization, immunoperoxidase histochemical analysis, and silver stain were used to detect spirochetes. Spirochetes were first detected by culture on day 6 in two of four C3H mice. The hearts of all mice of both genotypes were culture positive by day 10 and infection persisted through day 90. The spirochetes had a predilection for connective tissue in the heart base, especially around the aorta, epicardium of the upper ventricles and atria, myocardial interstitium, and endocardium. Carditis was first detectable on day 10, reaching a maximum severity on day 15, then resolved, except for persistence of periaortic lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates through day 90 in C3H mice and through day 60 in B6 mice. The C3H mice developed more severe disease than the B6 mice, and this was associated with the earlier appearance, greater numbers, and later clearance of spirochetes in C3H mice. Electrocardiographs of infected and control mice revealed bradycardia and tachycardia in many C3H mice, but in very few B6 mice. Serum creatinine phosphokinase levels did not become elevated at any interval.
Reduction of Nodular Growth Pattern of Metastatic Uveal Melanoma after Radioembolization of Hepatic Metastases

Aim: The aim of this study was to report a case of metastatic uveal melanoma in which radioembolized nodular liver metastases decreased in size while infiltrative sinusoidal metastases progressed, leading to jaundice without obstruction of the biliary ducts. Methods: The relevant clinical features, imaging, and histopathologic findings of this case are reviewed. Results: A 61-year-old Caucasian male with a history of uveal melanoma of the left eye status post plaque brachytherapy developed numerous liver metastases. After progression on systemic therapies, he underwent palliative radioembolization. Despite some radiographic improvement in the liver metastases, he developed hyperbilirubinemia without biliary tract obstruction or signs of liver failure. A biopsy of radiographically normal liver demonstrated extensive sinusoidal infiltration with melanoma. Conclusions: Distinct angiographic and histopathologic growth patterns of metastatic uveal melanoma differ in their amenability to radioembolization. Sinusoidal infiltration may lead to hyperbilirubinemia in the absence of overt obstruction or liver failure.
Click Fraud

Google, Yahoo!, and other companies vying for a piece of the lucrative search-engine market continue to transform the sponsored-search model, linking results to other information media such as telephones and TV. However, click fraud undermines this process by reducing the value of Web site traffic to content providers and thereby decreasing revenue for the search engines. Threats to the search engines' underlying business model are also threats to the free search services that these companies provide to millions of users, making click fraud a concern for all.
Present chemotherapy for tuberculosis.

Effective chemotherapy for tuberculosis had its beginning with the discovery of streptomycin by Waksman in 1944 and clinical use of streptomycin by Feldman and Henshaw in 1945. However, lasting effectiveness had to await discovery of a second bactericidal drug, isoniazid, in the early 1950s. Later treatment with isoniazid and p-aminosalycylic acid or ethambutol with or without initial use of streptomycin for two to three months soon became the standard treatment for tuberculosis. Therapy with a combination of drugs prevented the emergence of drug resistance during the prolonged period of therapy required for a lasting cure of the disease. Although highly successful, the 18-24 months of therapy that was required to protect against relapse remained quite inconvenient for patients. Because the therapy was highly effective, physicians in developed countries embraced the treatment with little thought being given to reducing the duration of therapy. However, the introduction of a third bactericidal drug, rifampin, in the late 1960s drastically changed therapy for tuberculosis within the next decade. The use of isoniazid and rifampin in combination made shortening the course of therapy possible because their complementary bactericidal activities made it possible to achieve actual sterilization of the tuberculous lesion. With these two drugs it is possible to reduce the duration of therapy to one half or even one third of that previously required to achieved similar results with other drug combinations [1].
Rheumatoid involvement of the cervical spine. An overview.

Objective. This symposium is an update of current knowledge regarding rheumatoid involvement of the cervical spine. Summary of Background Data. The pathophysiology of rheumatoid involvement in the neck is the same as it is in the peripheral joints. Information regarding the natural history of this condition is incomplete, and more data are needed regarding the natural history in the untreated patient as well as the outcomes of operative management. Conclusions. Long-term studies of the natural history in the untreated patient as well as the results of operative management will be needed before definitive statements can be made regarding treatment recommendations. However, the latest information available is being presented to guide treatment at this time.
Rethinking Digital Technologies in the Middle East

In 2003, while a graduate student working on my dissertation, I wrote an article on the Internet in postrevolutionary Iran that looked at the politics of the emerging technology in a country undergoing major political changes. In the context of political rivalries between reformists and conservatives, the Internet, I argued, “as an advancing means of communication,” played a key role in the struggle for democracy by opening up a virtual space of dissident activism. Euphoric in spirit and utopian in outlook, the article ended with the following quotation from an Iranian dissident: “At night, every light that is on in Tehran shows that somebody is sitting behind a computer, driving through information roads; and that is in fact a storehouse of gunpowder that, if ignited, will start a great firework in the capital of the revolutionary Islam.” These “information roads,” I concluded, could play a significant role in the emergence of a new form of political society in Iran and beyond.
Which Mirror Is ‘Truer’?: Portrayal of the Vietnam War in Apocalypse Now and Cánh Đồng Hoang

This essay examines the portrayal of the Vietnam War in one Vietnamese war film—Canh Đồng Hoang (Wild Rice Field, also known as the Abandoned Field) and one American war film—Apocalypse Now. Released the same year (1979), both received acclaim from film viewers and critics, with the former winning the Golden Prize of the Moscow International Film Festival and the latter two Oscars. This study examines the starkly different way each cinematic product depicts the enemy and nationalism, provides an explanation of the contrast, and assesses how both films sustain, reinforce, and challenge the hegemonic and ideological structure of the two societies during that time. Apocalypse Now evokes sympathy for both u.s. soldiers and the Vietnamese, but its portrayal of these Asian people as faceless and inferior illustrates a culturally imperial approach toward a Third World people. Canh Đồng Hoang conveys a romanticized, conventional version of the war where the “us” triumphs over the “them” in the defense of the nation. This essay seeks not to show that one film is better, but rather how a large gap exists in American and Vietnamese understanding of one another. Only bridging that gap will promote a better appreciation of each side’s political, social, and cultural background and perspectives.
SUPERSONIC COMBUSTION EXPERIMENTS FOR CFD MODEL DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION (INVITED)

This paper briefly reviews a number of experiments suitable for the screening, development and validation of turbulence models used in computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Two sets of experiments conducted for this purpose by the authors are presented. The first is a compressible axisymmetric jet in which a central jet of helium mixes with a surrounding coflow of air. The second is a supersonic combustor. Various instrumentation techniques have been employed with the axisymmetric jet, whereas the dual pump coherent antiStokes Raman spectroscopy technique has been applied to the combustor. Experiences in trying to calculate these flows, and set model constants, are reviewed.
What should be the research agenda for developmental behavioral pediatrics

This commentary recognizes the great accomplishment and future potential of research in developmental and behavioral pediatrics. It cautions against endorsing a longterm strategy of choosing relevant research topics based solely on today's population trends, as these are likely to change over time. The commentary supports DBPNet's own research emphases on autism and attention-deficit disorder based on their own interests and the specific goals supported by their funding mechanism.
On the Problem of Predicting Real World Characteristics from Virtual Worlds

Availability of massive amounts of data about the social and behavioral characteristics of a large subset of the population opens up new possibilities that allow researchers to not only observe people’s behaviors in a natural, rather than artificial, environment but also conduct predictive modeling of those behaviors and characteristics. Thus an emerging area of study is the prediction of real world characteristics and behaviors of people in the offline or “real” world based on their behaviors in the online virtual worlds. We explore the challenges and opportunities in the emerging field of prediction of real world characteristics based on people’s virtual world characteristics, i.e., what are the major paradigms in this field, what are the limitations in current predictive models, limitations in terms of generalizability, etc. Lastly, we also address the future challenges and avenues of research in this area.
‘What’s This War in the Heart of Nature?’ Fire, Water, Earth and Air in Terrence Malick’s The Thin Red Line

Nature plays a crucial role in the existential conflict that Malick presents in his 1998 war film, The Thin Red Line. Man exists not only in perpetual conflict with himself but must also vie with nature. Moreover, nature too must compete against itself as well as against man. However, unlike previous analytical work on this film, this essay shows how Malick inextricably associates his major characters with one of the four natural elements in his film: Witt with water, Welsh with stone, Tall with fire, and Bell with air. As the author contends, these four associations allow Malick to underscore various aspects of these four characters’ personal struggles with others, with nature, with the demands of war, and within themselves.
Damaged anal canal as a cause of fecal incontinence after surgical repair for Hirschsprung disease – a preventable and under-reported complication

Abstract Introduction Fecal incontinence after the surgical repair of Hirschsprung disease is a potentially preventable complication that carries a negative impact on patient's quality of life. Methods Patients that were previously operated for Hirschsprung disease and presented to our bowel management clinic with the complaint of fecal incontinence were retrospectively reviewed. All patients underwent a rectal examination under anesthesia looking for anatomic explanations for their incontinence. Results One hundred three patients were identified. 54 patients had a damaged anal canal. 22 patients also had a patulous anus. The operative reports mentioned the pectinate line in 32 patients, in 12 it was not mentioned, and in 10 patients the operative report was not available. All patients with a damaged anal canal suffered from true fecal incontinence; 45 of them are on daily enemas (41 are clean and 4 are still having “accidents”), 7 are not doing bowel management due to noncompliance and 2 patients have a permanent ileostomy. 49 patients did not have a damaged anal canal, 25 of those responded to changes in diet and medication and are having voluntary bowel movements. Conclusion Fecal incontinence may occur after an operation for Hirschsprung disease. When the anal canal is damaged, incontinence is always present, severe, and probably permanent. The preservation of the anal canal may avoid this complication.
Parent Support Programs and Coping Mechanisms in NICU Parents

Background:Many neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parents experience emotional distress leading to adverse infant outcomes. Parents may not cope positively in stressful situations, and support programs often are underutilized.Purpose:To determine coping mechanisms utilized by NICU parents, and typ
Vapor transport and sublimation on Mullins Glacier, Antarctica

Abstract We utilize an environmental chamber capable of recreating the extreme polar conditions of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) of Antarctica to investigate the sublimation rate of the Mullins Valley debris-covered glacier (hereafter Mullins Glacier), reportedly one of the oldest debris-covered alpine glaciers in the world. We measure ice loss via sublimation beneath sediment thicknesses ranging from 0 to 69 mm; from this, we determine an effective diffusivity for Fickian vapor transport through Mullins till of ( 5.2 ± 0.3 ) × 10 − 6 m 2 s − 1 at −10 °C. We use this value, coupled with micrometeorological data from Mullins Valley (atmospheric temperature, relative humidity, and soil temperature) to model the sublimation rate of buried glacier ice near the terminus of Mullins Glacier, where the overlying till thickness approaches 70 cm. We find that the ice-lowering rate during the modeled year (2011) was 0.066 mm under 70 cm of till, a value which is in line with previous estimates for exceedingly slow rates of ice sublimation. These results provide further evidence supporting the probable antiquity of Mullins Glacier ice and overall landscape stability in upland regions of the MDV.
Canonical and Non-Canonical Notch Signaling in CD4 + T Cells

For T cells to become fully activated, they must integrate a myriad of signals, both extrinsic and intrinsic. External stimuli accrued through various cell surface receptors are transduced and amplified through a coordinated circuitry of signaling cascades that ultimately result in the transcription of new genes. Along the way, extracellular and intracellular signaling components function to impart a fully activated state. Evidence is accumulating to show that the Notch family of cell surface receptors, long known to function as transcriptional regulators through their interactions with the canonical nuclear binding protein CSL/RBP-J, may also be playing an as-yet-unappreciated role in T cell activation by virtue of its signaling via non-canonical as well as nonnuclear mechanisms. In this review we will discuss these and other better-known means by which Notch signaling influences T cell responses.