cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Going Full Circle in the Sociology of Knowledge: Comment on Lynch and Fuhrman

Many of us in the sociology of scientific knowledge (SSK) have become accustomed to using a language of "newness" and "recency" to promote our radical intellectual exercises. An often-rehearsed and self-congratulatory story runs as follows: In the past, Mannheim excluded the natural sciences and mathematics from the purview of sociology of knowledge, and Merton encouraged studies of institutions that left the "content" of science unexamined. With the advent of the new sociology of scientific knowledge and the recent laboratory studies, we have broken down the old demarcations between science and society and are now producing a corpus of empirical studies on socio-techno-scientific innovation. A sobering reminder that our assurance about the progressive nature of the field is, at best, fragile is given by Lynch and Fuhrman's (1991, 235) proposal for "a sound and critical sociology of knowledge" based on "metasocial criteria." Lynch and Fuhrman (who, to avoid "reflexive" confusion, I shall call L&F) tell the readers of this journal that solutions to some of the impasses that contemporary sociologists of knowledge have gotten themselves into can be found by consulting the early writings of Karl Marx. When I first read their article I was tempted to say, "Criminy! These guys want to set our field back 150 years!" But then I realized that "setting back" is not quite the right way to describe what L&F threaten to accomplish, since that metaphor suggests a kind of linear progress that is difficult to defend in the
Influence of age on the clearance of K+ from the extracellular space of rat hippocampal slices

Abstract We examined the hypotheses that aging alters the capacity of brain tissue to regulate extracellular K + activity (K o + ), and that age-related decreases in glucose metabolism may underlie these alterations. Hippocampal slices from young adult (6–9 months old), middle-aged (16–19 months old), and aged (26–29 months old) Fischer 344 rats were exposed to physiological solutions containing 5–20 mM glucose maintained at 36–37°C. Schaffer collaterals in each slice were stimulated at 40 Hz for 2 s, and the resulting changes in K o + were recorded with K o + -sensitive microelectrodes placed in stratum pyramidale of hippocampal subfield CA1. We found that K + clearance from the extracellular space of hippocampal slices was significantly slowed in the middle-aged group compared with the young adult group in physiological solutions containing 5 and 10 mM glucose. Age-related differences in K o + clearance disappeared in 20 mM glucose. Also, the rate of K o + clearance was modified by glucose concentration. These results suggest that K + transport rates are modified by age, and that age-related alterations in glucose metabolism may be involved.
Neurobiology of extraversion: Pieces of the puzzle still missing

The neurobiological mechanisms associated with affiliation, that Depue & Collins argue are a central component of extraversion are not specified in their model. In addition, only the involvement of the prefrontal cortex in extraversion is discussed, although recent evidence suggests that activity associated with additional cortical regions may be related to this trait. Finally, the assumption that neurobiological mechanisms underlie or play a causal, and therefore, more fundamental role than psychological constructs in the trait is challenged.
Estimating the economic impact of the 1973 Navy base closing: Models, tests, and an ex post evaluation of the forecasting performance

In 1973 the Defense Department made plans to close many Navy bases in the United States. Hardest hit was Rhode Island which would suffer a loss of 45.61% of the total cutback of 42,812 jobs. This paper describes two models which were built to forecast the severity of the economic impact in Rhode Island: one used the reduced form equation approach, and the other the simultaneous equations system approach. Tests on multicollinearity, specification, and serial correlation were conducted. An ex post evaluation of these two models' performance in forecasting then concludes the paper.
The Rationale for Standardized Registration and Reporting of Brain and Central Nervous System Tumors in Population-Based Cancer Registries

Most population-based statistical reports of brain and central nervous system (CNS) tumors are limited to data of primary malignant tumors and to summary estimates of all tumor locations and histologi
Influence of site and season on water quality and tilapia production in Panama and Honduras

Data from 2 years of standardized experimental protocols in Panama and Honduras were analyzed to ascertain the influence of site and season on production of Oreochromis niloticus in earthen ponds. In Experiment 1, ponds were fertilized every 2 weeks with trip le superphosphate at 4 kg P2O2/ha, and were monitored to establish baseline of edaphic, climatic and fish production data. In Experiment 2, ponds were fertilized weekly with chicken litter at 125, 250, 500, or 1000 kg total solids/ha. Both experiments were repeated during wet and dry seasons at each site. Honduras ponds were more alkaline and higher in phosphorus than Panama ponds that were excavated in acidic soils. However, Honduras ponds were turbid with clay. The net result of acidic, nutrient-poor soils in Panama and clay turbidity in Honduras was low biological productivity at both sites for inorganically fertilized ponds. Primary productivity and net daily fish yield significantly increased with increasing chicken litter application (P < 0.05). Primary productivity, chlorophylla, and net daily fish yield were similar at both sites in ponds fertilized weekly with chicken sitter at 125–500 kg/ha; however, at the highest fertilization rate, primary productivity, chlorophylla, and net daily fish yield were 57, 29, and 37% greater in Panama than in Honduras. Higher fish yield was significantly correlated with higher chlorophylla and primary productivity. Lower primary production and net daily fish yield in Honduras were attributed to light limitation by clay turbidity.
Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) with immobilized protein receptors: comparison of response to ligand binding for direct protein immobilization and protein attachment via disulfide linker.

Results from an investigation of the frequency response resulting from ligand binding for a genetically engineered hormone-binding domain of the α-estrogen receptor immobilized to a piezoelectric quartz crystal are reported. Two different approaches were used to attach a genetically altered receptor to the gold electrode on the quartz surface: (1) the mutant receptor containing a single solvent-exposed cysteine was directly attached to the crystal via a sulfur to gold covalent bond, forming a self-assembled protein monolayer, and (2) the N-terminal histidine-tagged end was utilized to attach the receptor via a 3,3-dithiobis[N-(5-amino-5-carboxypentyl)propionamide-N‘,N‘-diacetic acid] linker complexed with nickel. Previous studies have shown that these engineered constructs bind 17β-estradiol and are fully functional. Exposure of the receptor directly attached to the piezoelectric crystal to the known ligand 17β-estradiol resulted in a measurable frequency response, consistent with a change in conformatio...
Tetrameric Ctp1 coordinates DNA binding and DNA bridging in DNA double-strand-break repair

Ctp1 (also known as CtIP or Sae2) collaborates with Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 to initiate repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), but its functions remain enigmatic. We report that tetrameric Schizosaccharomyces pombe Ctp1 contains multivalent DNA-binding and DNA-bridging activities. Through structural and biophysical analyses of the Ctp1 tetramer, we define the salient features of Ctp1 architecture: an N-terminal interlocking tetrameric helical dimer-of-dimers (THDD) domain and a central intrinsically disordered region (IDR) linked to C-terminal 'RHR' DNA-interaction motifs. The THDD, IDR and RHR are required for Ctp1 DNA-bridging activity in vitro, and both the THDD and RHR are required for efficient DSB repair in S. pombe. Our results establish non-nucleolytic roles of Ctp1 in binding and coordination of DSB-repair intermediates and suggest that ablation of human CtIP DNA binding by truncating mutations underlie the CtIP-linked Seckel and Jawad syndromes.
Three techniques for the solo family therapist

Three techniques are described which may be used by family therapists working without the aid of a co-therapist or team. These are: (1 )the use of a ‘ghost co-therapist’, (2) the use of the Gestalt therapy ‘empty chair’ technique in developing a systemic hypothesis, and (3) the use of self, the opinions of significant others and research findings to allow conflicting views of the family's dilemma to be presented.
Long-Term Survival Outcomes with Intravesical Docetaxel for Recurrent Nonmuscle Invasive Bladder Cancer After Previous Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Therapy

Purpose: Docetaxel is a safe agent for intravesical therapy. Adding monthly maintenance treatments can extend response durability. We report our cumulative experience with intravesical docetaxel in a larger cohort with extended followup.Materials and Methods: A total of 54 patients received salvage intravesical docetaxel for bacillus Calmette-Guerin refractory nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer between 2003 and 2012, including 18 treated during the original phase I trial. All patients received 6 weekly instillations of intravesical docetaxel. After the phase I trial, those with a complete response to induction treatment were offered single dose monthly maintenance treatments for a total of up to 12 months of docetaxel therapy. Recurrence was defined as positive biopsy or urine cytology. Recurrence-free, disease specific and overall survival was determined by Kaplan-Meier analysis.Results: Median followup was 39.1 months. Of the 54 patients 32 (59%) had a complete initial response after induction therapy, i...
Regulation of extracellular adenosine in rat hippocampal slices is temperature dependent : Role of adenosine transporters

While a great deal is known about stimuli that can induce the release of adenosine from brain tissue, relatively little is known about the regulation of the basal extracellular concentration of adenosine that is present in the absence of stimulation. Under normal conditions, enough adenosine is present to tonically activate a significant portion of the high-affinity adenosine A1 receptors. The present experiments demonstrated that the estimated basal concentration of extracellular adenosine in rat hippocampal slices maintained at 21 degrees C (430 nM) is approximately twice that at 32 degrees C (220 nM). The sensitivity of presynaptic modulatory adenosine A1 receptors was not significantly different at 21 degrees C or at 32 degrees C. Slices maintained at 21 degrees C also showed a reduced ability to inactivate extracellular adenosine, which reflects a reduction in adenosine transport across cell membranes. This effect appears to be primarily due to a reduction in the function of the equilibrative, dipyridamole-sensitive (ei) adenosine transporter; the nitrobenzylthioinosine-sensitive equilibrative transporter (es transporter) appears to be relatively less affected by temperature than is the ei transporter. These experiments demonstrate that extracellular concentrations of adenosine in the brain are sensitive to temperature, and suggest that some of the neurological effects of hypothermia might be mediated via increased concentrations of adenosine in the extracellular space.
Rate of Protein Synthesis: Regulation during First Division Cycle of Sea Urchin Eggs

Protein synthesis in fertilized sea urchin eggs, or in 12,000g supernatants derived from them, increased linearly during the period preceding prophase of the first mitotic cycle, dropped during metaphase and anaphase, and increased again after telophase. Similar results were observed for whole cells incubated in the presence of colchicine. These changes in the rate of protein synthesis during the mitotic cycle may be regulated at the translational level.
Effects of electrode contact area reduction using an excimer laser

Abstract Surface micro-machining of AR layers using an excimer laser has been studied to reduce the real metal/silicon contact are under the electrode formed by the screen-printing technique. The cell efficiency was improved by 0.5% compared with a reference cell with conventionalm silver paste contact (efficiency: 17.5%). This simple process without photolithography and chemical etching results in a high-efficiency cell.
Developing Construction Management Events in Situational Simulations

Abstract: The challenge and promise of educational computer simulations are to provide user experiences that allow for immersion into a dynamic system in which participants discover the ramifications of their decisions in a complex environment. Researchers at the University of Washington, in collaboration with Michigan Technological University, are developing situational simulations to meet the needs of construction management education. This article explores the development of simulation events where simulation variables are changed due to an event, and then the player is challenged to interact with the simulation by making decisions that impact the project outcome. A simulation event includes the player's experience, variables altered by the event, and variables changed by the player. This article defines the concept of simulation events within the context of situational simulations; explains how events are triggered, represented, and handled within the simulation and database; describes how players engage with the simulation; and identifies the challenges of incorporating the social dynamics of project management into the simulation environment.
American ginseng. III. Pharmacokinetics of ginsenosides in the rabbit

The pharmacokinetics of ginsenosides A1, A2, B2, and C were studied in rabbits and were best described with a one-compartment open model. Ginsenoside C (protopanaxadiol group ginseng saponin) showed a significantly longer half-life, higher plasma protein binding, and lower metabolic and renal clearance than ginsenosides A1, A2, and B2 (protopanaxatriol group ginseng saponins). All ginsenosides except ginsenoside A1 were slowly absorbed after intraperitoneal administration. Ginsenosides were not found in rabbit plasma or urine samples after oral administration. The observed differences in the pharmacokinetics of the ginsenosides may be ascribed to differences in protein binding. Ginsenoside C was more toxic than ginsenoside A2 after intraperitoneal administration to mice. Toxicity was not observed after oral administration of any of the ginsenosides. The genins, panaxadiol and panaxatriol, were more toxic and had larger volumes of distribution than the ginsenosides.
Locating human faces in a complex background including non-face skin colors

We propose a skin-color-based face location algorithm that can locate the human face in a complex background including nonface skin color regions, such as the hands. The algorithm is divided into three steps. The first step involves the use of color components to segment the skin colors from the complex back- ground. The second step detects a curve called the division curve that delineates the boundary between the hair region and the face region. In the last step, the division curve is used to estimate the face region. The proposed algorithm has wide application to prob- lems where the detection of both hands and face is requisite and to problems in which the distribution of skin/hair color can be known a priori. © 2003 SPIE and IS&T. (DOI: 10.1117/1.1579485)
Scoring system for empyema thoracis and help in management.

Objective : To evaluate the implications of a newly defined severity scoring of empyema in children for the prediction of surgical management and to compare the length of hospitalization as an outcome measure of patients treated using medical therapy, salvage video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)vs early elective VATS.Methods : A retrospective chart review of parapneumonic empyema of patients below 18 years of age admitted to a tertiary children’s hospital in northern Taiwan from April 1993 to December 2002 was performed. Patients were categorized into a medical group who received antibiotic therapy, needle aspirations with/without tube thoracostomy; a salvage VATS group when the patients required surgery for the relief of persistent fever > 38°C, chest pains or dyspneic respirations despite initial medical therapy; an early VATS group when the patients received elective surgery early after admission. The demographic data, clinical features, laboratory findings, and duration of hospitalization were compared using a severity score of empyema (SSE).Results :Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most common infecting organism, followed byStaphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. No organisms were recovered in 39% of patients. A pleural pH < 7.1 increases the odds of requiring surgical intervention by 6 times among this cohort. Children who required decortication of empyema had a higher severity score (mean 4.8 vs 3.0, p < 0.005). The duration of hospitalization for patients having early VATS showed a shortening stay (mean 18 vs 28 days) as compared to salvage VATS.Conclusion : A pleural pH < 7.1 and a newly designed clinical severity score of empyema ≥4 are two predictors of surgical intervention for fibrinopurulent empyema in the present study. Early elective VATS may be adopted not later than 7 days after failure of appropriate antibiotic therapy and adequate drainage of empyema to decrease the length of stay and minimize morbidity.
The stroke patient and assessment of caregiver needs

Currently, morbidity and mortality rates after stroke are declining as a result of advances in medical care and technology. Despite this decline, the physical, emotional, and psychologic effects of stroke remain devastating. Continuous requirements and long-term commitment with limited resources are a reality for many caregivers. Common problems include role changes, stress, social isolation, and financial burden. A supportive and encouraging atmosphere by the caregiver and an understanding of the emotional and physical challenges that are faced by the person who has had a stroke are essential determinants of a successful rehabilitation.
Functional morphology of the human chin

The protruding chin is an attribute that defines modern Homo sapiens to the exclusion of all other primates, including fossil hominids. The functional significance of the chin has been contemplated for most of the 20th century, but as yet no compelling functional argument for its evolution has withstood careful scrutiny. Consequently, the human chin is often cited as an example of a nonadaptive trait. Past attempts to explain the chin in a functional or mechanical context have failed, largely as a result of an incomplete understanding of in vivo masticatory biomechanics. When the morphology of the chin is considered in light of experimental data on mastication, its evolution can be interpreted as a consequence of recent changes in mandibular proportions that have altered the relative importance of different masticatory stresses. Hypotheses proposing that chin morphology is the result of sexual selection or spatial constraints may be untestable. As with arguments that posit no functional role for the chin, the credibility of these hypotheses has depended, to a large degree, on the refutation of previous biomechanical explanations.
A20 controls macrophage to elicit potent cytotoxic CD4(+) T cell response.

Emerging evidence indicates that CD4+ T cells possess cytotoxic potential for tumor eradication and perforin/granzyme-mediated cytotoxicity functions as one of the important mechanisms for CD4+ T cell-triggered cell killing. However, the critical issue is how the cytotoxic CD4+ T cells are developed. During the course of our work that aims at promoting immunostimulation of APCs by inhibition of negative regulators, we found that A20-silenced Mф drastically induced granzyme B expression in CD4+ T cells. As a consequence, the granzyme-highly expressing CD4+ T cells exhibited a strong cytotoxic activity that restricted tumor development. We found that A20-silenced Mф activated cytotoxic CD4+ T cells by MHC class-II restricted mechanism and the activation was largely dependent on enhanced production of IFN-γ.
Response of a strand with elliptical outer wires

Abstract The linearized form of the equilibrium equations for wire rope is used to develop a theory which describes the axial response of a strand, with elliptical outer wire cross-sections, to a static load for two strand configurations. The strand geometries are the same except for a small flat surface on each of the outer wires for the second configuration. The forces, moments, stresses and strains are calculated using the same loading conditions for each strand configuration and varying the ellipticity of the outer wires. The results for both cases are then evaluated and an application of the theory is briefly discussed.
GenPlay Multi-Genome, a tool to compare and analyze multiple human genomes in a graphical interface

Summary: Parallel visualization of multiple individual human genomes is a complex endeavor that is rapidly gaining importance with the increasing number of personal, phased and cancer genomes that are being generated. It requires the display of variants such as SNPs, indels and structural variants that are unique to specific genomes and the introduction of multiple overlapping gaps in the reference sequence. Here, we describe GenPlay Multi-Genome, an application specifically written to visualize and analyze multiple human genomes in parallel. GenPlay Multi-Genome is ideally suited for the comparison of allele-specific expression and functional genomic data obtained from multiple phased genomes in a graphical interface with access to multiple-track operation. It also allows the analysis of data that have been aligned to custom genomes rather than to a standard reference and can be used as a variant calling format file browser and as a tool to compare different genome assembly, such as hg19 and hg38. Availability and implementation: GenPlay is available under the GNU public license (GPL-3) from http://genplay.einstein.yu.edu. The source code is available at https://github.com/JulienLajugie/GenPlay Contact: ude.uy.nietsnie@arissahuob.cire or moc.liamg@eigujal.neiluj Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Solid-State-Laser-Pumped THz Parametric Generation and Detection and Applications

In this paper, we give an overview of the recent progress made on the efficient generation and sensitive detection of THz waves based on parametric processes such as parametric oscillation, parametric generation, difference-frequency generation, frequency upconversion, and/or optical rectification. We discuss the pros and cons of each approach. Furthermore, we describe some current efforts on power scaling of THz pulses and its fundamental limits. Following such a comprehensive review, we also highlight the accomplishments made in terms of the applications of the THz waves in spectroscopy and imaging
Individualized treatment strategies for patients with aortic valve disease and porcelain aorta.

A C D References 1. Coselli JS, Crawford ES. Aortic valve replacement in the patient with extensive calcification of the ascending aorta (the porcelain aorta). J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1986;91:184-7. 2. Kempfert J, Van Linden A, Linke A, Schuler G, Rastan A, Lehmann S, et al. Transapical aortic valve implantation: therapy of choice for patients with aortic stenosis and porcelain aorta? Ann Thorac Surg. 2010;90:1457-61. 3. Gillinov AM, Lytle BW, Hoang V, Cosgrove DM, Banbury MK, McCarthy PM, et al. The atherosclerotic aorta at aortic valve replacement: surgical strategies and results. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2000;120:957-63. 4. Miller DC, Blackstone EH,Mack MJ, Svensson LG, Kodali SK, Kapadia S, et al. Transcatheter (TAVR) versus surgical (AVR) aortic valve replacement: occurrence, hazard, risk factors, and consequences of neurologic events in the PARTNER trial. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2012;143:832-43.e13. 5. Roselli EE. Engineering transcatheter aortic valve devices: a surgeon’s perspective. Proc Inst Mech Eng H. 2011;225:207-19.
Spatial scaling of reflectance and surface albedo over a mixed-use, temperate forest landscape during snow-covered periods

article i nfo Albedo products from the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) have been validated extensively over spatially homogeneous sites with snow-cover. This study evaluated the spatial scaling of albedo and related reflectance-based quantities over areas of high spatial heterogeneity in temperate mixed forest, de- ciduous forest, urban and built-up, and cropland/natural mosaic lands under snow covered conditions. Reflectance-based quantities evaluated included spectral radiance, surface directional reflectance, and spectral and broadband albedo derived from ground- and tower-based measurements and high-resolution (5 m) hyperspectral imagery (HSI) to coarse resolution (~500 m) MODIS satellite data. Ourapproach firstcomparedground-andtower-basedspectralandbroadbandreflectancequantitiestoHSIdata, then to evaluate HSI with MODIS reflectance-based products. Over snow-covered pasture, HSI directional reflec- tance was biased lower than ground-based measurements collected using a spectroradiometer, and greatly underestimated at wavelengths less than 450 nm. Tower-based shortwave broadband albedo (280-2800 nm) andHSIalbedoagreedwithin±0.04.HSIdirectional spectral reflectance agreedwell withtower-basedmeasure- ments of spectral albedo collected using a spectroradiometer and remote cosine receptor above a mixed forest canopy with underlying snow cover. Spectral albedo collected over a dormant deciduous broadleaf canopy increased from 0.10 for snow-free conditions to 0.14-0.18 when snow-cover was present under the canopy. Canopy shortwave broadband albedo was not very sensitive to underlying snowpack depth, indicative of strong vegetation masking. Next,HSIdatawerespatiallyaggregatedandaveragedto500mMODISgridsandcomparedtotwoMODISalbedo
Coregulation of Ion Channel Conductances Preserves Output in a Computational Model of a Crustacean Cardiac Motor Neuron

Similar activity patterns at both neuron and network levels can arise from different combinations of membrane and synaptic conductance values. A strategy by which neurons may preserve their electrical output is via cell type-dependent balances of inward and outward currents. Measurements of mRNA transcripts that encode ion channel proteins within motor neurons in the crustacean cardiac ganglion recently revealed correlations between certain channel types. To determine whether balances of intrinsic currents potentially resulting from such correlations preserve certain electrical cell outputs, we developed a nominal biophysical model of the crustacean cardiac ganglion using biological data. Predictions from the nominal model showed that coregulation of ionic currents may preserve the key characteristics of motor neuron activity. We then developed a methodology of sampling a multidimensional parameter space to select an appropriate model set for meaningful comparison with variations in correlations seen in biological datasets.
The Role of Muscular Tension in Maladjustment

(1954). The Role of Muscular Tension in Maladjustment. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 50, No. 1, pp. 45-62.
Intestinal Tuberculosis: Clinicopathologic Analysis and Diagnosis by Endoscopic Biopsy

Abstract Objectives: Tuberculosis is still an important cause of granulomatous colitis in developing countries. If we can diagnose tuberculosis using endoscopic biopsy material, clinicians can avoid invasive diagnostic procedures and needless operations. For this purpose, we evaluated clinical manifestations, pathological findings, and diagnostic methods in endoscopically biopsied intestinal tuberculosis patients. Methods: From January 1991 to December 1996, 42 patients with intestinal tuberculosis were endoscopically examined and tissue culture, immunohistochemical stain, Ziehl-Neelsen stain, and polymerase chain reaction in fresh and fixed tissue were applied. The pathological findings were analyzed and compared with the results of the other diagnostic methods. Results: In tuberculosis patients, transverse ulcers with surrounding hypertrophic mucosa and multiple erosions were usual colonoscopic findings. The granulomas were found in 74% of the cases. The positivity ranged from 30–45%. There were no significant differences in the positivity among those diagnostic methods (p > 0.05). The positivity of Ziehl-Neelsen stain in fixed tissue was higher in the group having granulomas and it was reversed in PCR (p
A COMPARISON OF ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLE METHODS FOR ESTIMATING SOIL LEAD AT TRAP SHOOTING RANGES : THE EFFECTS OF PELLET AND NONPELLET LEAD

Abstract Lead contamination of soil is a potential problem at trap shooting ranges. Established soil sampling methods currently used may not accurately estimate the average soil lead concentration or the contribution of pelletized lead. A primary concern is whether or not a solid lead pellet finds its way into the representative sample analyzed by the laboratory. This study was conducted to quantify the distribution of pellet and nonpellet soil lead at a trap shooting range and to compare two soil sample preparation methods. The test site consisted of a trap range that has been in use for 40 years with average soil pH of 6.4. Sixty-six composite soil samples were taken at 5-m intervals along a traverse of one trap house. All samples were screened to remove large rocks and plant material, then split. One split, representing current U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) soil sampling methods, was sent directly to a laboratory for lead analysis. The other split was screened to separate lead ...
Ex utero intrapartum treatment with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine whether ex utero intrapartum treatment with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (EXIT to ECMO) is a reasonable approach for managing patients antenatally diagnosed with severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Methods A 6-year retrospective review was performed on fetuses with severe CDH (liver herniation and a lung/head ratio Results There were no maternal-reported complications. Three babies passed the ventilation trial and survived, but 2 of them required ECMO within 48 hours. The remaining 11 fetuses received ECMO before their delivery. Overall survival after EXIT-to-ECMO was 64%. At 1-year follow-up, all survivors had weaned off supplemental oxygen, but 57% required diuretics and/or bronchodilators. Conclusion This is the largest reported experience using EXIT to ECMO in the management of severe CDH. The EXIT-to-ECMO procedure is associated with favorable survival rates and acceptable pulmonary morbidity in fetuses expected to have a poor prognosis under conventional management.
Use of Shifted Laplacian Operators for Solving Indefinite Helmholtz Equations

A shifted Laplacian operator is obtained from the Helmholtz operator by adding a complex damping. It serves as a basic tool in the most successful multigrid approach for solving highly indefinite Helmholtz equations — a Shifted Laplacian preconditioner for Krylov-type methods. Such preconditioning significantly accelerates Krylov iterations, much more so than the multigrid based on original Helmholtz equations. In this paper, we compare approximation and relaxation properties of the Helmholtz operator with and without the complex shift, and, based on our observations, propose a new hybrid approach that combines the two. Our analytical conclusions are supported by two-dimensional numerical results.
A computer analysis method for thermal diffusion in biochemical systems

In the thermal detection of rapid biochemical reactions it is necessary to correct the temperature data for transient heat conduction losses in a cylindrical calorimeter. To handle the complexities arising from varying thermal-relaxation times of concentric insulating layers, a computer program was developed which gives the temperature distribution of the system as a function of radius and time. This distribution is corrected at each step by a subroutine which calculates the instantaneous chemical state of the reaction, as well as the heat produced by this reaction.The program is based on a direct statement of Fourier's law of heat conduction and the chemical rate equation to provide a “bookkeeping law” to follow the reactants and the flow of heat packets, in such a way that the computer continually stores the heat distribution. A computer analysis method is here regarded as one in which the physical laws of a process are used explicitly in the program. Usually this results in bypassing much of the mathematical procedures conventionally used.
Small-cell osteosarcoma: Correlation of in vitro and clinical radiation response

Abstract Small-cell osteosarcoma is an entity which shares some clinical and pathological features with both classic osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma of bone. While noted to be "not radiosensitive" when first described, a retrospective review the National Cancer Institute experience of five patients with small-cell osteosarcoma treated with radiation therapy following biopsy (three pts) or limited excision (two pts) showed local control in all five patients with two long-term disease-free survivors (12, 18 years). This compares to three patients treated with surgery alone where one patient failed locally and one patient is a long-term disease-free survivor (7 years). We have studied the in vitro radiation response of a recently established small-cell osteosarcoma cell line (TC-252) and compared its response with that of a classic osteosarcoma cell line (U2-OS) and an Ewing's sarcoma cell line (5838). The small-cell osteosarcoma line responded with a similar Do and extent of PLDR compared to the Ewing's line and was different from the in vitro radiation response of classic osteosarcoma. Based on this small clinical series and the in vitro radiation studies, we conclude that small-cell osteosarcoma is a radioresponsive tumor. Definitive radiation therapy or conservative surgery plus radiation therapy are effective alternative therapeutic options, compared to ablative surgery, for the local treatment of this uncommon bone tumor of children and young adults.
Distribution of uranium‐238 in environmental samples from a residential area impacted by mining and milling activities

The northern region of Karnes County, Texas, USA, has been the site of extensive mining/milling of uranium for over 30 years. A previous study in our laboratory indicates that residents living near these facilities have increased chromosomal aberrations and a reduced DNA repair capacity. In this study, the long-lived radionuclides uranium-238 (238U) and thorium-232 (232Th) were measured in order to evaluate the extent of contamination from mining/milling facilities. 232Th was quantified simultaneously and served as a reference. Soil samples (n = 70) were collected from the yards of previously studied households and adjacent areas near former mining and mining/milling sites at the surface and 30 cm subsurface. Additionally, samples from drinking water wells (n = 6) were collected from selected households. Sites located over 14 km from the study area with no known history of mining/milling served as the control. In the control area, 238U concentrations in soil were consistent between surface (0.13–0.26 mg/kg) and subsurface (0.13–0.23 mg/kg) samples. Near mining/milling sites, 238U in surface soil (0.34–15.71 mg/kg) was found to be consistently and statistically higher (p < 0.05) than corresponding subsurface samples (0.17–2.11 mg/kg). Near mining-only areas, 238U in surface soil (1.11–1.97 mg/kg), however, was not significantly increased over subsurface soil (0.96–1.68 mg/kg). As expected, 238U was much higher overall in the mining/milling and mining-only areas compared to the control sites. No trends were detected in the distribution of 232Th. The concentration of 238U was up to six times higher in a drinking water well near a former mining/milling operation, indicating possible leaching into the groundwater, while 232Th concentrations were low and uniform. Furthermore, lead isotope ratio analysis indicates contamination from the interstate shipping of ore by rail to and from a mining/milling facility. These data indicate contamination of the environment by the mining/milling activities in a residential area.
Electro-Optics of Unilamellar Vesicles

Electric field-induced transient birefringence and light scattering are reported for aqueous suspensions of synthetic unilamellar bilayer vesicles, prepared from the lipid dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC). The multiexponential birefringence relaxations observed on the microsecond and millisecond timescales are interpreted in terms of elongation and reorientation of induced dipolar vesicles, their linear chain formation, and electrofusion (and possibly electroporation) of the vesicles. Above certain threshold values of vesicle concentration, field-induced light scattering occurs concomitant with the birefringence. The corresponding transient signals corroborate the linear chain formation and subsequent fusion of the induced dipolar vesicles.
Molecular assessment of erythroid lineage chimerism following nonmyeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

Abstract Objective Nonmyeloablative conditioning regimens for allogeneic stem cell transplantation are now commonly used in the treatment of patients with hematologic malignancies. Since this treatment often results in the establishment of mixed hematopoietic chimerism, this approach may also prove to be useful in the treatment of nonmalignant disorders, such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia major. To apply this approach to these diseases, it will be necessary to determine the levels of donor erythropoiesis required to correct hemolysis and ameliorate disease symptoms. Current methods for measuring hematopoietic chimerism are based on DNA polymorphisms that distinguish recipient from donor. These methods accurately measure donor leukocyte engraftment but do not quantify the relative contributions of recipient and donor erythropoiesis following transplant. Methods To specifically measure erythroid-lineage chimerism, we used pyrosequencing of the sickle cell mutation to quantify the relative levels of normal and sickle β-globin mRNA in patient samples. Results of β-globin RNA chimerism were compared to assessment of β-globin DNA chimerism as well as analysis of short tandem repeat (STR) polymorphisms, cytogenetics, and hemoglobin electrophoresis. Results Donor engraftment was measured in two adult patients following nonmyeloablative stem cell transplant for sickle cell disease. In Patient 1, 25 to 30% of peripheral leukocytes were donor derived after day 41. In contrast, more than 55% of peripheral blood β-globin mRNA was of donor origin, and these results correlated with posttransplant clinical improvement. Patient 2 achieved 40 to 50% donor leukocyte engraftment from day 33 onward. This was associated with 70 to 100% peripheral blood donor β-globin mRNA. Conclusions These studies demonstrate that relatively low levels of donor leukocyte engraftment can be associated with higher levels of donor erythropoiesis and with significant clinical improvement. Pyrosequencing of lineage-specific mRNA directly measures functional reconstitution of donor cells and provides valuable information that can affect clinical decisions in patients with nonmalignant diseases following allogeneic transplant.
Preparing Performance Technologists: The Role of a University

It has been several years since the concept of performance technology was introduced in the literature. This article describes how the Instructional Systems program at Florida State University has responded to the changes that are required to expand its orientation from instructional technology to performance technology. Gradual changes in several existing courses and the implementation of two new courses in performance systems analysis and electronic performance support systems are described. In the new courses, students interact with clients to determine needs, examine processes, design solutions, and determine returns on investments. Consideration is also given in the article to ways other universities might respond to the changes in the direction of the field.
Hyperplastic development and hypertrophic growth of muscle fibers in the white seabass (Atractoscion nobilis)

Because skeletal muscle is the main contributor to body weight in most fish, it is probable that the size of a fish is limited by the growth of this tissue. Several aspects of both somatic size and skeletal muscle growth were investigated in white seabass (Atractoscion nobilis). One hundred and four subjects ranging in size from 1.3-91.8 cm standard length were examined to discern growth patterns throughout the entire life span of this species. Relationships of somatic growth were evaluated by weight, length, and age comparisons while muscle growth was assessed from cross-sectional area measurements of white muscle fibers. The average cross-sectional fiber area increased from approximately 150 mm(2) to 4300 mm(2) as the fish increased in size, indicating that hypertrophy plays an important role in growth. Hyperplastic fiber recruitment accounted for approximately 93% of muscle growth in recently hatched fish and gradually decreased with fish length. Although the contribution of hyperplasia declined to less than 1% in the largest subject, the persistence of hyperplasia at standard lengths equal to or greater than 91.8 cm as observed in the white seabass has yet to be documented in other fish species. This sustained fiber recruitment may be responsible for the impressive ultimate standard length of 133 cm (41 kg) that white seabass are capable of attaining. The white seabass currently represents the largest marine fish species for which the dynamics of muscle fiber growth have been described. J. Exp. Zool. 284:299-308, 1999. Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Adult heart-rate responses to infant cry sounds

Thirty male and female adults who had no children of their own nor any professional experience with children listened to tape-recorded pain cries of newborn infants who varied in their biomedical risk status. Heart-rate responses to the cries were classified as predominantly acceleratory, deceleratory or flat in character. Whereas the pain cries of ‘normal’ low risk infants mostly elicited heart-rate accelerations, the unusually high pitched pain cries of infants at increased risk for non-optimal development elicited either heart-rate accelerations or decelerations, depending on the individual listener. Independent of the direction of the cardiac response, the cries of high risk infants elicited greater absolute heart-rate change from baseline than the cry sounds of low risk infants. These results support the findings of previous studies in which ‘normal’ pain cries were rated along one perceptual dimension describing the aversive nature of the cry sound, and the unusually high pitched pain cries were perceived along two orthogonal dimensions-one indicating that the cry was aversive, the other that the infant sounded sick. The different heart-rate reactions may provide the basis for differences in adult responses which influence the infant' developmental pathway.
Noah: low-cost file access prediction through pairs

Prediction is a powerful tool for performance and usability. It can reduce access latency for I/O systems, and can improve usability for mobile computing systems by automating the file hoarding process. We present recent research that has resulted in a file successor predictor that matches the performance of state-of-the-art context-modeling predictors, while requiring a small fraction of their space requirements. Noah is an online algorithm for predicting successor file access events, effectively identifying strong pairings (successor relationships) among files. Noah can accurately predict approximately 80% of all file access events while tracking only two candidate successors, of which only one requires regular dynamic updates.
Trends in incidence and antimicrobial resistance of early-onset sepsis: population-based surveillance in San Francisco and Atlanta.

Objective. Although increased use of intrapartum antibiotics caused significant declines in early-onset group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection, the effect on infections caused by other pathogens is not clear. The objective of this study was to determine trends in the incidence of early-onset sepsis caused by organisms other than group B streptococcus in the era of antimicrobial prophylaxis. Methods. We conducted surveillance for early-onset sepsis as part of the Active Bacterial Core surveillance. A case was defined as isolation of bacteria from blood or cerebrospinal fluid from an infant who was 0 to 6 days of age and born in the surveillance area during 1998 through 2000 (248 184 births). Results. We identified 408 cases of early-onset infection. GBS caused 166 (40.7%) cases (52 in 1998, 51 in 1999, and 63 in 2000 for incidences 0.62, 0.62, and 0.76 cases per 1000 live births, respectively). Other bacterial pathogens were identified in 242 cases (82 in 1998, 79 in 1999, and 81 in 2000 for incidences 0.99, 0.95, and 0.98 per 1000 live births, respectively) of early-onset sepsis. Escherichia coli caused 70 cases (0.25, 0.28, and 0.31 cases per 1000 live births, respectively, in 1998–2000). The proportion of E coli infections that were resistant to ampicillin increased significantly among preterm infants from 29% (2 of 7) in 1998 to 84% (16 of 18) in 2000 but not in full-term infants: 50% (4 of 8) in 1998 and 25% (1 of 4) in 2000. Conclusions. Whereas rates of early-onset sepsis caused by GBS and other pathogens were low and did not change significantly during the study period, antibiotic-resistant E coli infections among preterm infants increased. Overall, these trends are reassuring, but careful evaluation of the increase in resistant infections in very young infants is critical in the future.
Concurrent paclitaxel and thoracic radiation for advanced non-small cell lung cancer

A phase I trial of paclitaxel therapy, administered as a weekly 3-h infusion for 6 weeks with concurrent daily thoracic radiation to patients with advanced or medically inoperable non-small cell lung cancer, was performed. Paclitaxel was escalated in increments of 10 mg/m2/week in successive cohorts of three new patients as tolerated, starting at 10 mg/m2/week. Radiation was administered to the primary tumor and regional lymph nodes (40 Gy over 4 weeks), followed by a boost to the primary tumor (20 Gy in 2 weeks). Twenty-seven patients entered this study through seven dose levels of paclitaxel ranging from 10-70 mg/m2/week for the primary purpose of evaluating the toxicity of concurrent chemoradiation treatment. Esophagitis was the principal and dose-limiting toxicity. Radiation pneumonitis occurred in two patients. Other toxicities were mild. Although not designed as an efficacy study, 23 patients were available for response, and an overall response rate of 74% (confidence interval, 65-83%) was observed.