cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
27. EFFECTIVENESS OF DELIVERING DIFFICULT NEWS TRAINING: IMPROVED SKILLS AND SELF-EFFICACY OF PEDIATRIC TRAINEES

Background Delivering difficult news to patients and families is an essential but challenging communication skill. Pediatric trainees report limited training, competence, or comfort in this skill, and when tested, perform poorly. Objective To assess the effectiveness of a modified American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Resiliency Curriculum (Part B) to improve skills and self-efficacy of pediatric trainees in delivering bad news. Methods A quantitative research design was used to study the impact of the modified curriculum, offered at one institution with 78 residents and 48 fellows. The course consisted of interactive didactics with faculty role modeling. Fellows also participated in role playing and in novel simulations and self-reflection activities. Self-efficacy surveys were used to assess knowledge, confidence, and comfort with delivering difficult news. Objective performance was assessed during simulations with standardized patients using a bad news delivery framework checklist (“SPIKES”) and the mini Master Interview Rating Scale (mMIRS). Self-efficacy was analyzed using hierarchical mixed effects linear modeling and simulation performance was evaluated using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results Pediatric trainees (n=67, 29 residents, 38 fellows) improved their scores on each of the 13 self-efficacy items (p=0.007 to Conclusion Pediatric residents had significant improvement in self-efficacy and fellows in both self-efficacy and observable skill in delivering difficult news after participation in an AAP modified Resiliency course, with the use of simulation for fellows. These learning activities could serve as a model for other institutions to address gaps in training for difficult news delivery.
Detection of iron deficiency in children with Down syndrome.

Abstract Purpose Current American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for children with Down syndrome (DS) recommend a complete blood count (CBC) at birth and hemoglobin annually to screen for iron deficiency (ID) and ID anemia (IDA) in low-risk children. We aimed to determine if macrocytosis masks the diagnosis of ID/IDA and to evaluate the utility of biochemical and red blood cell indices for detecting ID/IDA in DS. Methods We reviewed data from 856 individuals from five DS specialty clinics. Data included hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, red cell distribution width (RDW), percent transferrin saturation (TS), ferritin, and c-reactive protein. Receiver operating characteristic curves were calculated. Results Macrocytosis was found in 32% of the sample. If hemoglobin alone was used for screening, all individuals with IDA would have been identified, but ID would have been missed in all subjects. RDW had the highest discriminability of any single test for ID/IDA. The combination of RDW with ferritin or TS led to 100% sensitivity, and RDW combined with ferritin showed the highest discriminability for ID/IDA. Conclusion We provide evidence to support that a CBC and ferritin be obtained routinely for children over 1 year old with DS rather than hemoglobin alone for detection of ID.
Hardy Spaces and the Rosenblum–Rovnyak Proof

In this chapter, we present a proof of the hard part of Loewner’s theorem due to Rosenblum and Rovnyak based on their general theorem that appeared as Theorem 19.8.
Ventral hippocampus interacts with prelimbic cortex during inhibition of threat response via learned safety in both mice and humans.

Heightened fear and inefficient safety learning are key features of fear and anxiety disorders. Evidence-based interventions for anxiety disorders, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, primarily rely on mechanisms of fear extinction. However, up to 50% of clinically anxious individuals do not respond to current evidence-based treatment, suggesting a critical need for new interventions based on alternative neurobiological pathways. Using parallel human and rodent conditioned inhibition paradigms alongside brain imaging methodologies, we investigated neural activity patterns in the ventral hippocampus in response to stimuli predictive of threat or safety and compound cues to test inhibition via safety in the presence of threat. Distinct hippocampal responses to threat, safety, and compound cues suggest that the ventral hippocampus is involved in conditioned inhibition in both mice and humans. Moreover, unique response patterns within target-differentiated subpopulations of ventral hippocampal neurons identify a circuit by which fear may be inhibited via safety. Specifically, ventral hippocampal neurons projecting to the prelimbic cortex, but not to the infralimbic cortex or basolateral amygdala, were more active to safety and compound cues than threat cues, and activity correlated with freezing behavior in rodents. A corresponding distinction was observed in humans: hippocampal–dorsal anterior cingulate cortex functional connectivity—but not hippocampal–anterior ventromedial prefrontal cortex or hippocampal–basolateral amygdala connectivity—differentiated between threat, safety, and compound conditions. These findings highlight the potential to enhance treatment for anxiety disorders by targeting an alternative neural mechanism through safety signal learning.
Anisotropy of Electrical Transport in Pnictide Superconductors Studied Using Monte Carlo Simulations of the Spin-Fermion Model

An undoped three-orbital spin-fermion model for the Fe-based superconductors is studied via Monte Carlo techniques in two-dimensional clusters. At low temperatures, the magnetic and one-particle spectral properties are in agreement with neutron and photoemission experiments. Our main results are the resistance versus temperature curves that display the same features observed in BaFe2As2 detwinned single crystals (under uniaxial stress), including a low-temperature anisotropy between the two directions followed by a peak at the magnetic ordering temperature, that qualitatively appears related to short-range spin order and concomitant Fermi surface orbital order.
Effects of various parameters of different porous transport layers in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis

Abstract Porous transport layers (PTLs) play an important role in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) cells. The PTL facilitates water and gas transport, as well as thermal and electrical conduction, and is required to sustain good contact with adjacent components. It is expected that using PTLs with variations in material properties such as structure, composition, thickness and wettability results in performance changes of the PEMWE. In this study, a general mathematical PEMWE model is developed that separates and analyzes the contributions of ohmic, activation, diffusion and Nernst potentials. For model validation, three inherently different anode PTL structures (carbon paper, sintered titanium particles, and titanium felt) are operated over a range of conditions. Additionally, the effects of PTL wettability were used to verify the model using Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) treated Toray papers with PTFE loading ranging from 0% to 20%. The modeling results of both PTFE treated and untreated materials show good agreement with the experimental data. Mass transport or diffusion loss is the primary reason for performance differences between PTFE treated and untreated PTLs. Sintered titanium PTLs with thicknesses above 1 mm suffer from up to 33% increased ohmic losses without indicating any obvious changes in activation and diffusion losses when compared to untreated PTLs. The losses of the cell increase when using PTFE treated Toray paper. Individual contributions are quantified and assigned to increased ohmic, activation, and diffusion losses. In conclusion, the proposed model offers insights into the overpotential contributions of a PEMWE. It is a useful tool for predicting performance of various PTL materials and can be applied for PTL development and optimization efforts.
A Novel Frequency Tunable RF Comb Filter

This letter presents a new filter to suppress radio frequency interference (RFI) in microwave remote sensing instruments, particularly a wideband autocorrelation radiometer (WiBAR). RFI increases the noise floor and results in a decreased signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the WiBAR delay peak. The proposed filter operates like a Fabry–Perot interferometer (FPI) in optics and has the frequency response of a comb filter with many evenly spaced alternating pass and stop bands. The frequencies of these bands are varied with an electrically adjustable phase shifter. The design of a comb filter with an airy finesse value of 20 has been verified by simulation and measurement.
Causation and Compensation for Intergenerational Harm

New forms of genetic engineering promise relief from debilitating disorders. But they also risk unintended side-effects of off-target mutations. How should society respond to gene editing gone awry, when misplaced splices get passed on to offspring born generations later? Traditional principles of tort liability and corrective justice demand that complaining parties to show that misconduct is to blame for their suffering. But it’s hard to say what caused such complex injuries so far off into the future. Not least of all for people who may not have existed if it hadn’t been for the very edit or alteration that made them the distinctive individuals they are. These difficulties confound the rules of recovery that require a close connection between past misconduct and future harm. The problem of paying for off-target gene edits is less about deterring negligence or redressing its victims than it is about helping those in need without stifling valuable innovation. We have seen similar challenges of intergenerational justice before, when a common pregnancy drug left thousands of women and their offspring with cancer risks and genetic anomalies. Courts resolved these controversies by capping damage claims to children exposed to the drug in utero. But in a world of routine gene editing, existing remedies fail to respond in any satisfying way to the foreseeable harms of off-target mutations. I propose a mixed approach to these reproductive externalities that couples no-fault compensation with statutory limits on bad behavior.
Hiding in plain sight: recovering public administration’s lost legacy of social justice

Following Camilla Stivers’ historical account in Bureau Men/Settlement Women, this paper traces social equity within public administration to the Progressive Era and specifically to the New Deal wh...
Optical coherence tomography angiography and multimodal imaging in the management of coats' disease.

Abstract Purpose To illustrate the spectrum of clinical and imaging features in patients with unilateral Coats’ disease at baseline and in response to treatment with laser, intravitreal bevacizumab, and regional steroids. Observations Telangiectasias, macular exudates, and vascular leakage were present in all 3 patients included in this series. After treatment with laser and bevacizumab, OCT angiography findings included an anomalous foveal vascular loop and chorioretinal anastomoses. Choroidal flow voids appeared to improve after intravitreal bevaziumab and laser treatment in 2 patients with OCT angiography obtained at follow up. A-scan axial lengths in affected eyes were 1.5–1.8 mm smaller than fellow eyes. Conclusions and importance OCT angiography is a non-invasive tool that can be a useful adjunct to multimodal imaging studies in the management of Coats’ disease. Improved vascular density following anti-VEGF injection suggests a possible role of the choroidal vasculature in this retinal vascular pathology.
The changing epidemiology of acute kidney injury syndromes in the face of emerging respiratory viral pandemic illnesses

In this issue, Birkelo et al. performed a rigorous analysis of acute kidney injury (AKI) differences in patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 versus influenza. Coronavirus disease 2019 AKI was more severe, with worse outcomes, than influenza, despite adjustment for confounders. Their findings highlight the need for development of a new category of AKI syndrome, “viral pandemic–associated AKI,” in which a more varied pathophysiological approach to AKI would combine with consideration of overcoming future surge-related resource shortages.
corral: Single-cell RNA-seq dimension reduction, batch integration, and visualization with correspondence analysis

Effective dimension reduction is an essential step in analysis of single cell RNA-seq (scRNAseq) count data, which are high-dimensional, sparse, and noisy. Principal component analysis (PCA) is widely used in analytical pipelines, and since PCA requires continuous data, it is often coupled with log-transformation in scRNAseq applications. However, log-transformation of scRNAseq counts distorts the data, and can obscure meaningful variation. We describe correspondence analysis (CA) for dimension reduction of scRNAseq data, which is a performant alternative to PCA. Designed for use with counts, CA is based on decomposition of a chi-squared residual matrix and does not require log-transformation of scRNAseq counts. We extend beyond standard CA (decomposition of Pearson residuals computed on the contingency table) and propose variations of CA, including an alternative chi-squared statistic, that address overdispersion and high sparsity in scRNAseq data. The performance of five variations of CA and standard CA are benchmarked on 10 datasets and compared to glmPCA. CA variations are fast, scalable, and outperform standard CA and glmPCA, to compute embeddings with more performant or comparable clustering accuracy in 8 out of 9 datasets. Of the variations we considered, we found that CA using the Freeman-Tukey chi-squared residual was most performant overall in scRNAseq data. Our analyses also showed that variance stabilizing transformations applied in conjunction with standard CA (using Pearson residuals) and the use of "power deflation" smoothing both improve performance in downstream clustering tasks, as compared to standard CA alone. CA has advantages including visual illustration of associations between genes and cell populations in a "CA biplot," and easy extension to multi-table analysis enabling integrative dimension reduction. We introduce corralm, a CA-based method for multi-table batch integration of scRNAseq data in shared latent space, and we propose a new approach for assessing batch integration. We implement CA for scRNAseq in the corral R/Bioconductor package (https://www.bioconductor.org/packages/corral) interfaces directly with widely used single cell classes in Bioconductor, allowing for easy integration into scRNAseq pipelines.
A Basis for Fluoropyrimidine-induced Antagonism to Methotrexate in Ehrlich Ascites Tumor Cells in Vitro

The inhibitory effect of methotrexate on [3H]deoxyuridine incorporation into DNA is reduced as the basal rate of this reaction is inhibited by pretreatment of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells with fluoropyrimidines. This observation is a basis for fluoropyrimidine-methotrexate antagonism in anticancer regimens and supports the concept that the sensitivity of thymidylate synthesis in tumor cells to methotrexate is related, in part, to the basal rate of thymidylate synthesis from deoxyuridylate.
Distributed Approach for DC Optimal Power Flow Calculations

The trend in the electric power system is to move towards increased amounts of distributed resources which suggests a transition from the current highly centralized to a more distributed control structure. In this paper, we propose a method which enables a fully distributed solution of the DC Optimal Power Flow problem (DC-OPF), i.e. the generation settings which minimize cost while supplying the load and ensuring that all line flows are below their limits are determined in a distributed fashion. The approach consists of a distributed procedure that aims at solving the first order optimality conditions in which individual bus optimization variables are iteratively updated through simple local computations and information is exchanged with neighboring entities. In particular, the update for a specific bus consists of a term which takes into account the coupling between the neighboring Lagrange multiplier variables and a local innovation term that enforces the demand/supply balance. The buses exchange information on the current update of their multipliers and the bus angle with their neighboring buses. An analytical proof is given that the proposed method converges to the optimal solution of the DC-OPF. Also, the performance is evaluated using the IEEE Reliability Test System as a test case.
Alexander the Great : A Reader

This exciting new volume is an indispensable guide for undergraduates to the study of Alexander the Great, showing the problems of the ancient source material, and making it clear that there is no single approach to be taken. The eleven thematic chapters contain a broad selection of the most significant published articles about Alexander, examining the main areas of debate and discussion: the sources Alexander's background Alexander's aims Alexander and the Greeks Alexander and Asia Alexander, India and the Final Years Alexander as General Alexander and "The unity of Mankind" Alexander and Deification Alexander and Conspiracies Alexander: The 'Great'? The Reader has the distinctive feature of translating a substantial number of the more inaccessible primary sources; each chapter is also prefaced with a succinct introduction to the topic under consideration.
Europe 2020 and Varieties of Capitalism: Complementary or Contradictory?

A central ambition of the Lisbon Agenda and Europe 2020 is promoting greater innovation in Europe. This paper investigates three questions: How have EU efforts to foster innovation affected innovation finance? How has European financial market integration affected innovation finance? And, are some kinds of capitalist (innovation) systems favored by financial market integration and EU policies? We find, overall, there has not been a clearly sustained increased in R&D spending by governments or firms in Europe. National capitalisms and their innovation systems have nonetheless changed in important ways, one of which is the emergence of strong segments for radical innovation and finance in some coordinated market economies. But rather than finding convergence across national capitalisms and innovation systems, we find increased diversity within national economies and blurring across national boundaries.
Disruption of the Metallothionein-III Gene in Mice: Analysis of Brain Zinc, Behavior, and Neuron Vulnerability to Metals, Aging, and Seizures

Metallothionein-III (MT-III), a brain-specific member of the metallothionein family of metal-binding proteins, is abundant in glutamatergic neurons that release zinc from their synaptic terminals, such as hippocampal pyramidal neurons and dentate granule cells. MT-III may be an important regulator of zinc in the nervous system, and its absence has been implicated in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. However, the roles of MT-III in brain physiology and pathophysiology have not been elucidated. Mice lacking MT-III because of targeted gene inactivation were generated to evaluate the neurobiological significance of MT-III. MT-III-deficient mice had decreased concentrations of zinc in several brain regions, including hippocampus, but the pool of histochemically reactive zinc was not disturbed. Mutant mice exhibited normal spatial learning in the Morris water maze and were not sensitive to systemic zinc or cadmium exposure. No neuropathology or behavioral deficits were detected in 2-year-old MT-III-deficient mice, but the age-related increase in glial fibrillary acidic protein expression was more pronounced in mutant brain. MT-III-deficient mice were more susceptible to seizures induced by kainic acid and subsequently exhibited greater neuron injury in the CA3 field of hippocampus. Conversely, transgenic mice containing elevated levels of MT-III were more resistant to CA3 neuron injury induced by seizures. These observations suggest a potential role for MT-III in zinc regulation during neural stimulation.
Fast pediatric 3D free-breathing abdominal dynamic contrast enhanced MRI with high spatiotemporal resolution.

Purpose To develop a method for fast pediatric 3D free-breathing abdominal dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) MRI and investigate its clinical feasibility.
A comparative analysis of chiropractic and general practitioner patients in North America: Findings from the joint Canada/United States survey of health, 2002–03

Scientifically rigorous general population-based studies comparing chiropractic with primary-care medical patients within and between countries have not been published. The objective of this study is to compare care seekers of doctors of chiropractic (DCs) and general practitioners (GPs) in the United States and Canada on a comprehensive set of sociodemographic, quality of life, and health-related variables. Data are from the Joint Canada/U.S. Survey of Health (JCUSH), 2002–03, a random sample of adults in Canada (N = 3505) and the U.S. (N = 5183). Respondents were categorized according to their pattern of health-care use in the past year. Distributions, percentages, and estimates (adjusted odds ratios) weighted to reflect the complex survey design were produced. Nearly 80% of respondents sought care from GPs; 12% sought DC care. Compared with GP only patients, DC patients in both countries tend to be under 65 and white, with arthritis and disabling back or neck pain. U.S. DC patients are more likely than GP only patients to be obese and to lack a regular doctor; Canadian DC patients are more likely than GP only patients to be college educated, to have higher incomes, and dissatisfied with MD care. Compared with seekers of both GP and DC care, DC only patients in both countries have fewer chronic conditions, take fewer drugs, and have no regular doctor. U.S. DC only patients are more likely than GP+DC patients to be uninsured and dissatisfied with health care; Canadian DC only patients are more likely than GP+DC patients to be under 45, male, less educated, smokers, and not obese, without disabling back or neck pain, on fewer drugs, and lacking a regular doctor. Chiropractic and GP patients are dissimilar in both Canada and the U.S., with key differences between countries and between DC patients who do and do not seek care from GPs. Such variation has broad and potentially far-reaching health policy and research implications.
Measuring operational risk using a mean scaled individual risk model

Building on a new theory of parametric risk models initiated in Hurlimann [Blatter der Deutschen Gesellschaft fur Versicherungsmathematik XXIII(3) (1998) 251], it is shown how mean scaled individual risk models can be constructed. The approximate computation of their distributions and related quantities can be done in the author's (1990) mathematical framework of generalized pseudo compound Poisson distributions, which are characterized by integral equations of Volterra type. The results by Dhaene and De Pril [Insurance: Mathematics and Economics 14 (1994) 181] are extended to this more general class of models. The method is applied to the construction of a mean scaled operational risk model.
PAM17: IMPORTANT ISSUES IN NUMBER NEEDED TO TREAT ANALYSIS IN OSTEOPOROSIS TREATMENT

Number Needed to Treat (NNT) is calculated in clinical trials by taking the inverse of the difference in absolute risk in the placebo group from the treatment group. It captures how many people would need to receive a treatment to prevent a disease or event. OBJECTIVES: To determine the roles of treatment efficacy and population characteristics in Number Needed to Treat (NNT) calculations within randomized clinical trials of osteoporosis pharmacological agents. METHODS: Data were collected from publications of three major clinical trials of pharmacological osteoporosis agents. Trials valuated were the Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation (MORE), Fracture Intervention Trial 1&2 (FIT) which evaluated Alendronate, and Vertebral Efficacy with Risedronate Therapy (VERT). NNT, mean age, baseline Bone Mineral Density (BMD) at spine, baseline vertebral fracture rate, vertebral fracture rates in the placebo and treatment groups, and relative risk reductions were abstracted. RESULTS: The Number Needed to Treat not only varied among different agents but also in different populations where the same treatment was used. The MORE trial reported two NNTs. The “MORE 1” trial, where few participants had a prevalent vertebral fracture (11%), found an NNT of 46 while “MORE 2”, where most participants had a prevalent vertebral fracture (88%), found an NNT of 16. FIT1, where all participants had prevalent vertebral fractures, reported an NNT of 15 while FIT2, no participants had a prevalent fracture, reported an NNT of 60. The VERT trial's NNT was calculated to be 20 using the above method. VERT had an 80% prevalent vertebral fracture rate. CONCLUSION: Variation in NNT is due to the different characteristics like placebo fracture rates as well as treatment efficacy. If one compares the trials with the most similar placebo group fracture rates, “MORE2”, FIT1, and VERT, the Number Needed to Treat is quite similar. Dissimilar population characteristics as opposed to differences in treatment efficacy can be responsible for differences in NNT.
PS1-09: Comparing the Greatest Challenges of Long-Term Rectal Cancer Survivors with Anastomosis Versus Ostomy

Background Patients surgically treated for rectal cancer receive either an intestinal ostomy (externalization of the bowel to the abdominal wall) or, more frequently, an anastomosis (reconnection) of the rectum. While the challenges of intestinal ostomies have been previously described by this research team, much less is known about the long-term challenges of living with an anastomosis. Understanding the challenges of long-term rectal cancer survivors with both types of surgeries is important for informing and improving current practice.
Overall Mortality in Diabetes Mellitus: Where Do We Stand Today?

Abstract Life expectancy for a patient with type 2 diabetes remains substantially shorter than an equivalent individual without diabetes, largely because of a greater risk of cardiovascular disease. Diabetes is also associated with an increased incidence of many types of cancer, suggesting that malignancy may also contribute to higher rates of mortality. Hyperglycemia is one of the key risk factors for diabetes-associated macro- and microvascular disease, and as such, intensive glycemic control is associated with improved outcomes for patients, including a reduction in this risk of death from any cause, when initiated early in the disease course. Recent trials in patients with more advanced disease have failed to demonstrate a mortality benefit with intensive glycemic control, although this may reflect their short observation period. Intensive multifactorial therapy, including lifestyle intervention and control of hyperglycemia, hypertension, lipids, thrombosis, and microalbuminuria, is likely to be the b...
CAL-101: a phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase p110-delta inhibitor for the treatment of lymphoid malignancies.

Introduction: The management of lymphoid malignancies has greatly evolved in the last decade with the advent of targeted therapies, which have improved response and survival in patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and plasma cell myeloma (PCM). The PI3K pathway seems to play a seminal role in the development of lymphoid malignancies. CAL-101 is a highly selective PI3K p110δ inhibitor currently undergoing clinical development. Areas covered: The aims of this review are to summarize our understanding of the PI3K pathway, its role in lymphoid malignancies, the preclinical and clinical experience accumulated with CAL-101, a PI3Kδ inhibitor, and potential areas of future development. Expert opinion: CAL-101 is a novel drug that has shown preclinical activity against CLL, NHL, HL and PCM cells. There is early evidence of clinical efficacy in CLL and indolent NHL. Studies using CAL-101 alone or in combination are also ongoing in PCM, HL and aggre...
Global phylogeography with mixed-marker analysis reveals male-mediated dispersal in the endangered scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini).

Background The scalloped hammerhead shark, Sphyrna lewini, is a large endangered predator with a circumglobal distribution, observed in the open ocean but linked ontogenetically to coastal embayments for parturition and juvenile development. A previous survey of maternal (mtDNA) markers demonstrated strong genetic partitioning overall (global ΦST = 0.749) and significant population separations across oceans and between discontinuous continental coastlines. Methodology/Principal Findings We surveyed the same global range with increased sample coverage (N = 403) and 13 microsatellite loci to assess the male contribution to dispersal and population structure. Biparentally inherited microsatellites reveal low or absent genetic structure across ocean basins and global genetic differentiation (FST = 0.035) over an order of magnitude lower than the corresponding measures for maternal mtDNA lineages (ΦST = 0.749). Nuclear allelic richness and heterozygosity are high throughout the Indo-Pacific, while genetic structure is low. In contrast, allelic diversity is low while population structure is higher for populations at the ends of the range in the West Atlantic and East Pacific. Conclusions/Significance These data are consistent with the proposed Indo-Pacific center of origin for S. lewini, and indicate that females are philopatric or adhere to coastal habitats while males facilitate gene flow across oceanic expanses. This study includes the largest sampling effort and the most molecular loci ever used to survey the complete range of a large oceanic predator, and findings emphasize the importance of incorporating mixed-marker analysis into stock assessments of threatened and endangered shark species.
Stratigraphic evidence for multiple drainings of glacial Lake Missoula along the Clark Fork River, Montana, USA

Abstract Glacial Lake Missoula, a source of Channeled Scabland flood waters, inundated valleys of northwest Montana to altitudes of ∼ 1265 m and to depths of >600 m, as evidenced by shorelines and silty lacustrine deposits. This study describes previously unrecognized catastrophic lake-drainage deposits that lie stratigraphically beneath the glacial-lake silts. The unconsolidated gravelly flood alluvium contains imbricated boulder-sized clasts, cross-stratified gravel with slip-face heights of 2–> 35 m, and 70- to 100-m-high gravel bars which all indicate a high-energy, high-volume alluvial environment. Gravel bars and high scablands were formed by catastrophic draining of one or possibly more early, high lake stands (1200–1265 m). Most glacial-lake silt, such as the Ninemile section, was deposited stratigraphically above the earlier deposits, represents a lower lake stand(s) (1050–1150 m), and was not deposited in lake(s) responsible for the highest discharge events. The glaciolacustrine silt-covered benches are incised by relict networks of valleys formed during the drainage of the last glacial lake. Significant erosion associated with the last lake draining was confined to the inner Clark Fork River canyon.
Evolution of alternative splicing: deletions, insertions and origin of functional parts of proteins from intron sequences

Alternative splicing is thought to be a major source of functional diversity in animal proteins. We analyzed the evolutionary conservation of proteins encoded by alternatively spliced genes and predicted the ancestral state for 73 cases of alternative splicing (25 insertions and 48 deletions). The amino acid sequences of most of the inserts in proteins produced by alternative splicing are as conserved as the surrounding sequences. Thus, alternative splicing often creates novel isoforms by the insertion of new, functional protein sequences that probably originated from noncoding sequences of introns.
Pinning, creep and possible melting in the mixed state of NbZr films

Abstract Current-Voltage (I–V) characteristics and resistivity measurements on NbxZr1−x (x ∼ 0.15) thin films are reported over a broad range of temperature and magnetic field. In the vicinity of the critical temperature (field) the I–V curves show a transition from the Ohmic to a strongly non-linear behavior on increasing the excitation current density. The linear resistivity is thermally activated with a field dependent barrier height. Although the Ohmic and non-linear data can be described in the framework of the glass model for the mixed state in hard superconductors, it does not yield a universal set of exponents for the glass to fluid transition. The overall response of the mixed state can be understood in the framework of the standard flux-creep theory with inter-vortex interaction.
Transition Saturation in Ethylene Observed with Infrared Photothermal Spectrometry

Pulsed infrared laser excited photothermal spectroscopy is used to study the nonlinear infrared absorption character of ethylene. Ethylene exhibits apparent optical saturation when high irradiance CO2 lasers are used for excitation. In these experiments a pulsed TEA-CO2 laser tuned to the 1OP(14) line at 949.49 cm-1 is used to excite the v7 transition of ethylene and photothermal lens spectrometry is used to monitor the resulting thermal perturbation. The data are obtained as the thermal lens signal versus excitation irradiance, linearized to account for nonlinearities in the apparatus response, and processed to yield 'apparent' absorption coefficient versus excitation irradiance. Apparent absorption coefficient data are then modeled based on the vibrational energy level structure and the interaction of the Gaussian excitation source with the nonlinear system. Assumptions are used to derive a reasonable vibrational state model based on probable excited states involved in the kinetic saturation. Saturation irradiance and related parameters for ethylene in Ar, He, and N2 buffer gases are given. The saturation irradiance results suggest a vibrational relaxation up to 4 orders of magnitude faster than shown in previous work. This high relaxation rate is probably due to a break down in the steady state aproximation used to solve the rate expressions.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Distribution of dietary trans-octadecenoate among acyl-CoA and other lipid fractions of rat liver and heart

Groups of rats were fed diets containing 10% of either corn oil, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, or a mixture of the two. The partially hydrogenated oil contained a high level of trans-octadecenoate and a low level of linoleate, and all diets were adjusted to contain similar levels of cis-octadecenoate. The fatty acid compositions of five tissue lipid fractions from liver and heart (non-esterified fatty acids, acyl-CoA, diacylglycerols, triacylglycerols and phospholipids) were analyzed to measure the effect of the dietary supply on the accumulation of trans-octadecenoates and other fatty acids at different steps of glycerolipid synthesis. Although trans-octadecenoate was increased in all of the lipid fractions when the dietary supply was increased, the accumulation did not exceed 15% of the acyl chains in any of the lipid pools even when the dietary trans acid accounted for 46% of the fatty acids supplied in the diet. The trans-octadecenoate accumulated in a similar manner in the lipids of both liver and heart, and the amounts found in the acyl-CoA esters of both tissues were relatively low compared to the diet. A high dietary supply of trans-octadecenoate appeared to diminish the relative content of stearate in the acyl-CoA and phospholipid fractions. The level of cis-octadecenoate maintained in tissue phospholipids was similar to that in the acyl-CoA fractions, whereas the trans-octadecenoate content in phospholipids more closely resembled that in the diacylglycerols. Normal proportions of arachidonate were maintained in the tissue phospholipids during high intake of trans acids, even though lower levels were observed in the acyl-CoA and diacylglycerols of liver.
Does asymptomatic lead exposure in children have latent sequelae

Seventy children who had had exposure to lead but had not had symptoms related to it were evaluated at four years of age using a series of psychological tests. Results were compared to those of similar evaluations of 72 children with comparable socioeconomic backgrounds but presumably without unusual exposure to lead. Sixty-five per cent of the control children but only thirty-five per cent of the lead-exposed ones performed normally in all areas tested (I.Q., fine motor development, gross motor development, concept formation, behavior). Deficits occurred most frequently in fine motor function and behavior. The majority of children in each group had an average I.Q.
Evaluating estimators of the numbers of females with cubs-of-the-year in the yellowstone grizzly bear population

Current management of the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) population in Yellowstone National Park and surrounding areas requires annual estimation of the number of adult female bears with cubs-of-the-year. We examined the performance of nine estimators of population size via simulation. Data were simulated using two methods for different combinations of population size, sample size, and coefficient of variation of individual sighting probabilities. We show that the coefficient of variation does not, by itself, adequately describe the effects of capture heterogeneity, because two different distributions of capture probabilities can have the same coefficient of variation. All estimators produced biased estimates of population size with bias decreasing as effort in creased. Based on the simulation results we recommend the Chao estimator for model M h be used to estimate the number of the female bears with cubs of the year; however, the estimator of Chao and Shen may also be useful depending on the goals of the research.
Assignment of absolute configuration using chiral reagents and NMR spectroscopy.

An overview of chiral reagents that are used to assign the absolute configuration of particular classes of compounds using NMR spectroscopy is presented. The use of chiral derivatizing agents, chiral solvating agents, metal complexes, and liquid crystals is described. Chirality, 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Rotational echo double resonance detection of cross-links formed in mussel byssus under high-flow stress.

Abstract 13C{2H} rotational echo double resonance NMR has been used to provide the first evidence for the formation of quinone-derived cross-links in mussel byssal plaques. Labeling of byssus was achieved by allowing mussels to filter feed from seawater containingl-[phenol-4-13C]tyrosine andl-[ring-d 4]tyrosine for 2 days. Plaques and threads were harvested from two groups of mussels over a period of 28 days. One group was maintained in stationary water while the other was exposed to turbulent flow at 20 cm/s. The flow-stressed byssal plaques exhibited significantly enhanced levels of 5, 5′-di-dihydroxyphenylalanine cross-links. The average concentration of di-dihydroxyphenylalanine cross-links in byssal plaques is 1 per 1800 total protein amino acid residues.
Prediction of the water content in protein binding sites.

An efficient molecular simulation methodology has been developed to determine the positioning of water molecules in the binding site of a protein or protein−ligand complex. Occupancies and absolute binding free energies of water molecules are computed using a statistical thermodynamics approach. The methodology, referred to as Just Add Water Molecules (JAWS), features “θ-water” molecules that can appear and disappear on a binding-site grid. Key approximations render the technique far more efficient than conventional free energy simulations. Testing of JAWS on five diverse examples (neuraminidase, scytalone dehydratase, major urinary protein 1, β-lactoglobulin, and COX-2) demonstrates its accuracy in locating hydration sites in comparison to results from high-resolution crystal structures. Possible applications include aid in refinement of protein crystal structures, drug lead optimization, setup of docking calculations, and simulations of protein−ligand complexes.
Gendered Nursing Education and Practice in Iran

Through qualitative ethnographic methods, the researcher gendered nursing education and practice among human nursing students and faculty. Interaction with nursing students and faculty occurred in a familiar turf using the native language in interviews and on field observations. Settings included classrooms, skills laboratory, faculty offices, clinical areas, and informants' homes. Formal and informal interviews, observations, and printed materials provided useful data to reach consistent common patterns. Thematic analysis and triangulation of data identified gender variations in care and compassion, spirituality, economic motives, and practice preference. Integrated experiences of pre-Islamic period were used to describe the current developments of gendered nursing education and practice in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Study of gendered nursing education and practice brings attention to the cultural significance of gender issues. This body of knowledge will benefit American nurses and educators by increasing their cultural understanding of gender.
Effect of Prophylactic Cyclosporine Therapy on ADAMTS13 Biomarkers in Patients with Idiopathic Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Several reports have been published regarding the use of cyclosporine (CSA) in the treatment of idiopathic thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). We hypothesized that prophylactic CSA therapy may prevent recurrences in patients with a history of multiple relapses of TTP. Nineteen patients with idiopathic TTP were enrolled on prospective studies at Ohio State University between September 2003 and May 2007. Patients achieving remission remained on CSA therapy for 6 months, allowing us to evaluate the efficacy of CSA as prophylactic therapy. CSA was administered orally at a dose of 2-3 mg/kg in twice a day divided dose in all patients and continued for a total of 6 months. Long-term clinical follow-up with serial analysis of ADAMTS13 biomarkers during and after CSA therapy were performed to evaluate the efficacy of CSA as a prophylactic therapy. 17/19(89%) patients completed 6 months of CSA therapy in a continuous remission. Two patients relapsed during therapy with CSA and seven patients relapsed after discontinuing CSA therapy. Ten patients have maintained a continuous remission a median of 21 months (range, 5-46) after discontinuing CSA. The ADAMTS13 data suggest that CSA resulted in a significant increase in the ADAMTS13 activity during therapy with CSA. 8/9(89%) relapsing patients had severely deficient ADAMTS13 activity (<5%) suggesting this is a significant risk factor for relapse of TTP. These data support the hypothesis that prophylactic CSA improves the ADAMTS13 activity and may be effective at preventing relapses in patients at risk for recurrences of TTP.
A case of florid cystitis glandularis.

Background A 32-year-old healthy woman from China was diagnosed with a bladder mass during pelvic ultrasonography, carried out during the work-up of a miscarriage. Cystoscopy by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology confirmed the presence of a bladder mass, after which she was referred to our department for evaluation and management. The patient was asymptomatic at presentation. She denied urologic symptoms and did not have a history of smoking or industrial exposure to carcinogens. Investigations Laboratory test results and urine studies were unremarkable. Cytology revealed benign cells with numerous micro-organisms. Intravenous pyelography revealed a 1 × 2 cm filling defect in the mid posterior bladder compatible with a mass. There were no upper urinary tract defects. We performed cystoscopy with transurethral resection of the bladder tumor. Diagnosis Pathology revealed cystitis glandularis. Management The patient was followed up with repeat cystoscopy after 4 months; there was no evidence of recurrence. She was scheduled for surveillance after a further 3 months, but was lost to follow-up.
A Transforming Principle

Dr. Maclyn McCarty, who was the sole surviving member of the Rockefeller research group, passed away on January 2, 2005 at the age of 93. Dr. McCarty recorded the history of this seminal discovery in an inspiring book The Transforming Principle. Subsequent to his historic work, he continued his studies on bacterial virulence by analyzing the structure of the cell wall of group A streptococci, the causative agent of rheumatic fever.
Rheumatology patients' use of complementary therapies: results from a one-year longitudinal study.

Objective To examine the natural history of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and its impact on outcomes within a cohort of rheumatology patients. Methods Consecutive patients were recruited from 3 university and 3 private rheumatology practices. Baseline chart reviews provided demographic information and rheumatic diagnoses. Patients answered questions on CAM use and health status during 1 year. We identified correlates of 4 CAM usage patterns (started, maintained, stopped, nonuse) and compared outcomes among these groups. Results Of 232 baseline participants, 203 (87%) and 177 (76%) responded to the 6- and 12-month surveys. In each survey, approximately 34% reported currently using CAM. During the year, 44% of patients remained nonusers whereas 12% started, 22% maintained, and 22% stopped use. The most frequent reasons for stopping CAM were lack of effectiveness and expense. CAM users and nonusers had no difference in outcomes. Conclusions Arthritis patients' usage behavior varied substantially, but CAM use was not associated with a difference in outcomes.
Effects of pentobarbital and ether upon vasomotor responses from cerebral cortex of the dog.

Summary1. Electrical stimulation of the anterior cerebral cortex of the dog under pentobarbital anesthesia gives predominantly depressor responses. 2. Under ether anesthesia the response is usually pressor. Some stimuli are followed by a rise of blood pressure of one of 2 minutes duration, while others are accompanied by only 15 to 20 seconds of pressure elevation. 3. The mode of action of these anesthetics in affecting the cortically induced blood pressure response is not understood.
Race, Culture, and Ethnicity: Implications for a Community Intervention

We present an overview of research on African American families and emphasize in this discussion limitations of approaches used in the past to study African American families. We also discuss and identify challenges for designing and implementing community, family-based programs targeting competence-promoting behaviors in African American families. In addition, we attempt to accomplish the following objectives: (1) identify themes in studies of African American families, including bias in prior research; (2) discuss ways in which prior approaches and conceptual models guiding studies of African Americans have created challenges for the development and implementation of community-based intervention and research programs; and (3) present the Parents Matter! Program as an example of a community-based prevention effort that attempted to overcome many of the challenges created by prior research efforts.