cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Renal function outcomes in patients treated for renal masses smaller than 4 cm by ablative and extirpative techniques.

Purpose: We examined the effect of radical nephrectomy, partial nephrectomy and radio frequency ablation on renal function in patients with stage T1a renal masses.Materials and Methods: A total of 242 consecutive patients from July 1995 to March 2005 undergoing primary treatment for unilateral renal masses smaller than 4 cm and a normal contralateral kidney were identified. Renal function was calculated using the modified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation. The rate of decrease in the glomerular filtration rate below 60 ml per minute 1.73 m2 was compared among the 3 treatment modalities.Results: A total of 86, 85 and 71 patients were treated with radio frequency ablation, partial nephrectomy and radical nephrectomy, respectively. Preoperatively stage 3 chronic kidney disease (glomerular filtration rate less than 60 ml per minute per 1.73 m2) was identified in 65 patients (26.7%), including 26.7%, 27.1% and 26.8% who underwent radio frequency ablation, partial nephrectomy and radical nephrectom...
Horizontal and vertical distributions of colored dissolved organic matter during the Southern Ocean Gas Exchange Experiment

[1] Field and remote sensing measurements of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) were acquired in the Southern Ocean during the 2008 Gas Exchange experiment. Values of CDOM absorption coefficient at 440 nm (ag440) ranged from ∼0.02 to ∼0.06 m−1. In general, CDOM was higher in the region sampled during this study than in other regions of the Southern Ocean. CDOM showed an inverse correlation with salinity, and the spectral slope parameter S varied directly with salinity. These relationships, water circulation patterns, and characteristics of South Georgia Island suggested that runoff was a source of CDOM in the study site. Analysis of seasonal variability of ag440 using ocean color imagery of areas away from the effect of South Georgia Island showed seasonal fluctuations between ∼0.02 to ∼0.03 m−1. CDOM production models showed that in situ production could also account for seasonal changes in CDOM.
sp 2 C–H activation of dimethyl fumarate by a [(Cp*Co)2-μ-(η4 : η4-toluene)] complex

The well-defined oxidative addition of the vinylic sp2 C–H bond of dimethyl fumarate is mediated by the cobalt triple decker complex [(Cp*Co)2-μ-(η4 : η4-toluene)] (1) at ambient temperature, affording the dinuclear, bridging cobalt hydride, fumaryl compound (2). The C–H activation product has been characterized by mass spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. Computational studies of 2 support asymmetric bonding interactions between the two metal centres and the bridging hydride/fumaryl fragments. Monitoring the reaction of dimethyl fumarate with 1 by 1H NMR spectroscopy allows observation of intermediate [Cp*Co(MeO2CCHCHCO2Me)]n (n = 1 or 2) (3). Addition of 4 equivalents of dimethyl fumarate to 1 results in rapid formation of the bis(ligand) adduct Cp*Co(η2-MeO2CCHCHCO2Me)2 (5). Reversibility of the C–H activation was probed by reaction of additional dimethyl fumarate with 2, suggesting ligand induced reductive elimination is possible under ambient conditions. Reaction between 2 and strong σ or π ligands, such as PMe3 or CO, affords the corresponding Cp*Co(η2-MeO2CCHCHCO2Me)(L) (L = PMe3 (7); L = CO (8)) complexes when heated, demonstrating the ability of 2 to undergo two electron redox processes. Further evidence for reversible C–H activation is provided by the isomerization of dimethyl maleate to the corresponding fumarate using 2, suggesting the complex can serve as a source of Co(I) under the appropriate catalytic conditions.
Work in progress — Exercises in Squeak Smalltalk for pre-college education

Computer programming education helps to prepare pre-college students to function in a technology-based society and to promote technical careers. However, opportunities are limited for pre-college students to learn computer programming and effective programming instruction can be difficult. A set of introductory, self-paced tutorials in Squeak Smalltalk has been developed for students in high school and middle school. This work describes two supplementary exercises that address the needs of new learners, especially those at younger ages. Students are given tools for drawing and image manipulation. The optional exercises integrate basic concepts while allowing more interactivity and customization through creative “play.”
The collineation groups of the translation planes of order 25

Czerwinski and Oakden have classified all the translation planes of order 25. In this paper the author gives the order and orbit lengths on the line at infinity of the collineation groups of these planes.
Comparisons of normal saline and lactated Ringer's resuscitation on hemodynamics, metabolic responses, and coagulation in pigs after severe hemorrhagic shock

Ongoing improvements in trauma care now recommend earlier use of blood products as part of damage control resuscitation, but generally these products are not available at far forward battlefield locations. For the military, questions continue to arise regarding efficacy of normal saline (NS) vs. lactated Ringer’s (LR). Thus, this study compared the effects of LR and NS after severe hemorrhage in pigs. 20 anesthetized pigs were randomized into control (n = 6), LR (n = 7), and NS (n = 7) groups. Hemorrhage of 60% estimated total blood volume was induced in LR and NS groups by removing blood from the left femoral artery using a computer-controlled pump. Afterwards, the pigs were resuscitated with either LR at 3 times the bled volume or the volume of NS to reach the same mean arterial pressure (MAP) as in LR group. Hemodynamics were measured hourly and blood samples were taken at baseline (BL), 15 min, 3 h and 6 h after resuscitation to measure changes in coagulation using thrombelastograph®. MAP was decreased by hemorrhage but returned to BL within 1 h after resuscitation with LR (119 ± 7 ml/kg) or NS (183 ± 9 ml/kg, p < 0.05). Base excess (BE) was decreased by hemorrhage; resuscitation with LR recovered BE but not with NS. Total peripheral resistance was decreased with NS and LR, with a larger drop shown in NS. Serum potassium was increased with NS, but not affected with LR. Coagulation changes were similar between LR and NS. NS may be inferior to LR in resuscitation due to its vasodilator effects and the risks of metabolic acidosis and hyperkalemia.
Controlled expression of functional miR-122 with a ligand inducible expression system

Background To study the biological function of miRNAs, and to achieve sustained or conditional gene silencing with siRNAs, systems that allow controlled expression of these small RNAs are desirable. Methods for cell delivery of siRNAs include transient transfection of synthetic siRNAs and expression of siRNAs in the form of short hairpins using constitutive RNA polymerase III promoters. Systems employing constitutive RNA polymerase II promoters have been used to express miRNAs. However, for many experimental systems these methods do not offer sufficient control over expression.
Patient Beliefs and Tamoxifen Discontinuance in Older Women With Estrogen Receptor—Positive Breast Cancer

Purpose To investigate the patterns and predictors of tamoxifen discontinuance throughout a 2-year period in a cohort of women 65 years or older with newly diagnosed, estrogen receptor (ER)–positive breast cancer, focusing on the role of patients’ beliefs about the risks and benefits of tamoxifen therapy. Subjects and Methods We enrolled a convenience sample of women cared for in four geographic regions of the United States with stage 1 ( 1 cm), stage II, or stage IIIA disease; no prior history of breast cancer; and no simultaneously diagnosed second primary breast cancer. Data sources included medical records and telephone interviews with patients at 3, 6, 15, and 27 months following definitive surgery. Results Of the 597 women with ER-positive tumors, 516 women (86%) were prescribed tamoxifen, and of these, 88 (17%) stopped taking tamoxifen during the 2-year follow-up period. Of the women who stopped taking tamoxifen, the majority (68%) took it for less than 1 year. Women with neutral or negative beliefs about the value of tamoxifen (3.0; 95% CI, 1.6 to 5.6) and those with positive nodes (odds ratio 2.5; 95% CI, 1.0 to 6.3) were more likely to discontinue tamoxifen therapy.
Insomnia in Patients With Advanced Cancer

Introduction:Insomnia is underrecognized in patients with cancer. By identifying clinical correlations and predisposing factors of insomnia, interventions may be initiated to treat insomnia.Methods:Consecutive patients referred to palliative medicine services were screened with a single question. Patients answering affirmatively completed the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Patients were screened for depression, fatigue, and pain. Spearman correlation was performed for associations.Results:Of 715 consecutive patients, 102 had sleep problems and 64 had clinical insomnia by the ISI criteria. Insomnia correlated with depression (r = .32), pain (r = .29), and tiredness (r = .40) but not with age or precipitating factors.Discussion:Insomnia severity moderately correlates with depression, pain, and tiredness. We found no association of insomnia severity with age or medications.Conclusion:Insomnia, pain, depression, and tiredness are a symptom cluster.
Foxp3+-Inducible Regulatory T Cells Suppress Endothelial Activation and Leukocyte Recruitment

The ability of regulatory T cells (Treg) to traffic to sites of inflammation supports their role in controlling immune responses. This feature supports the idea that adoptive transfer of in vitro expanded human Treg could be used for treatment of immune/inflammatory diseases. However, the migratory behavior of Treg, as well as their direct influence at the site of inflammation, remains poorly understood. To explore the possibility that Treg may have direct anti-inflammatory influences on tissues, independent of their well-established suppressive effects on lymphocytes, we studied the adhesive interactions between mouse Treg and endothelial cells, as well as their influence on endothelial function during acute inflammation. We show that Foxp3(+) adaptive/inducible Treg (iTreg), but not naturally occurring Treg, efficiently interact with endothelial selectins and transmigrate through endothelial monolayers in vitro. In response to activation by endothelial Ag presentation or immobilized anti-CD3e, Foxp3(+) iTreg suppressed TNF-α- and IL-1β-mediated endothelial selectin expression and adhesiveness to effector T cells. This suppression was contact independent, rapid acting, and mediated by TGF-β-induced activin receptor-like kinase 5 signaling in endothelial cells. In addition, Foxp3(+) iTreg adhered to inflamed endothelium in vivo, and their secretion products blocked acute inflammation in a model of peritonitis. These data support the concept that Foxp3(+) iTreg help to regulate inflammation independently of their influence on effector T cells by direct suppression of endothelial activation and leukocyte recruitment.
Magnesium in the Casein-containing Colloid of Milk

Summary It has been shown that about one-third of the magnesium in milk is present in the casein-containing colloid, and that the calcium-to-magnesium mol ratio in the colloid is about 15:1.
Adult language acquisition and Universal Grammar

The current conception of the relation between UG and the grammar of a language rules out the no-access hypothesis, but does not distinguish between the full-access and partial-access hypotheses. The former raises the issue of why language acquisition in child and adult should be so different. The evidence presented in Epstein et al.'s target article seems inconclusive regarding a choice between hypotheses.
Mircea Eliade: ‘Secular mysticism’ and the history of religions

Abstract This essay considers the origins of theoretical understanding in lived experience and the implications this principle might have on our understanding of Mircea Eliade's approach to religion. It inspects possible sources of Eliade's theoretical understanding of religion in his descriptions of his lived experience and considers whether specifically ‘religious’ experience would be most likely to be determinative. This necessitates some analysis of the relation of experience to expressions of that experience and of the iterations of the scholar using one to elucidate the other. It suggests that the scholar's own understanding must be open to transformation rather than automatically redescribing the expressions of subjects of research. The main claim of the article is that Eliade can be appropriately termed a ‘secular mystic’ because of the effective openness that he maintains to the transformative potential of the experience of the world of the other. The Eliadean identification of the sacred and the real, far from being a normative assumption, is a principle of hermeneutical openness, comparable in secular terms to openness to mystical experience.
Receptor guanylyl cyclase Gyc76C is required for invagination, collective migration and lumen shape in the Drosophila embryonic salivary gland.

The Drosophila embryonic salivary gland is formed by the invagination and collective migration of cells. Here, we report on a novel developmental role for receptor-type guanylyl cyclase at 76C, Gyc76C, in morphogenesis of the salivary gland. We demonstrate that Gyc76C and downstream cGMP-dependent protein kinase 1 (DG1) function in the gland and surrounding mesoderm to control invagination, collective migration and lumen shape. Loss of gyc76C resulted in glands that failed to invaginate, complete posterior migration and had branched lumens. Salivary gland migration defects of gyc76C mutant embryos were rescued by expression of wild-type gyc76C specifically in the gland or surrounding mesoderm, whereas invagination defects were rescued primarily by expression in the gland. In migrating salivary glands of gyc76C mutant embryos, integrin subunits localized normally to gland–mesoderm contact sites but talin localization in the surrounding circular visceral mesoderm and fat body was altered. The extracellular matrix protein, laminin, also failed to accumulate around the migrating salivary gland of gyc76C mutant embryos, and gyc76C and laminin genetically interacted in gland migration. Our studies suggest that gyc76C controls salivary gland invagination, collective migration and lumen shape, in part by regulating the localization of talin and the laminin matrix.
Power estimation for a submicron CMOS inverter driving a CRC interconnect load

We present an analytical expression for the evaluation of the short-circuit power dissipation in a CMOS inverter driving a CRC interconnect load. The validity of the model is much improved over previous works that inaccurately model a MOS transistor as a piecewise linear element, inadequately consider short-circuit current, or inappropriately apply the total capacitance approach. Moreover, our method requires less characterization effort while considering short-channel effects and secondary effects such as short-circuit current and coupling capacitance. As a result of this analysis, the results from proposed model are very close to those of SPICE3.
Feasibility and Acceptability of a Pilot Housing Transition Program for Homeless Adults with Mental Illness and Substance Use

The purpose of this study was to determine if a housing transition program was feasible and acceptable to homeless clients with mental illness and substance use histories. Ten male residents of a homeless shelter participated in the 3-week housing intervention. The intervention used a DVD format with instructional videos, graphics, and opportunities for hands-on practice of functional skills in a simulated apartment environment. Outcome measures included goal attainment scale scores (GAS), satisfaction surveys, and case manager reports. Six of the 10 participants completed the program and achieved GAS scores at a greater level than expected at baseline (T > 50). Participants reported the intervention to be engaging and enhanced their knowledge of the housing transition process. The intervention appears to have assisted the participants in the attainment of housing skills and warrants further study.
Youth as a Force in the Modern World

The unprecedented number of young people in the world today can be isolated as one of the crucial reality factors conditioning political and cultural developments. Age distribution is only one demographic variable in the complex of social and political life, but the tremendous growth of world population in the twentieth century has magnified its dynamic potentialities. To gain perspective, it will be useful to briefly consider the role of youth in the light of historical experience.
The design and clinical application of a new #5 French angioplasty catheter.

Although major technological advances have occurred in coronary artery angioplasty balloons and steerable wire systems, there have been surprisingly few advances in the development and designs for balloons in the peripheral circulation. For example, a #7 French shaft has become the standard for most peripheral as well as visceral angioplasty balloons. In most instances, the shaft is unnecessarily large and not only interferes with tractability over the conventional wire but in certain situations is also unnecessarily traumatic to the vascular intima as the catheter is passed to the angioplasty site. For these reasons a newly designed catheter with a shaft measuring 1.67 mm (#5 French) has been designed to incorporate a variety of dimensional balloons varying from 2 mm through 7 mm. In addition, the open end allows passage of a .035 inch wire and consequently the balloon is ideally suited for applications from vessels as small as the tibial circulation or renal visceral or iliac circulation.
Method for isolation and molecular characterization of extracellular microvesicles released from brain endothelial cells

Background In addition to possessing intracellular vesicles, eukaryotic cells also produce extracellular microvesicles, ranging from 50 to 1000 nm in diameter that are released or shed into the microenvironment under physiological and pathological conditions. These membranous extracellular organelles include both exosomes (originating from internal vesicles of endosomes) and ectosomes (originating from direct budding/shedding of plasma membranes). Extracellular microvesicles contain cell-specific collections of proteins, glycoproteins, lipids, nucleic acids and other molecules. These vesicles play important roles in intercellular communication by acting as carrier for essential cell-specific information to target cells. Endothelial cells in the brain form the blood–brain barrier, a specialized interface between the blood and the brain that tightly controls traffic of nutrients and macromolecules between two compartments and interacts closely with other cells forming the neurovascular unit. Therefore, brain endothelial cell extracellular microvesicles could potentially play important roles in ‘externalizing’ brain-specific biomarkers into the blood stream during pathological conditions, in transcytosis of blood-borne molecules into the brain, and in cell-cell communication within the neurovascular unit.
Electromyography of the oral phase of deglutition in the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta)

Summary-Patterns of activity of selected muscle groups which function during the oral phase of swallowing were analysed electromyographically in 33 monkeys (Macuca mulatta) during a total of 113 recording sessions. Salivary, water and masticatory swallows were studied. The activity of the suprahyoid muscle group was relatively constant in each animal during all types of swallows. However, three patterns of muscle activity of the other masticatory muscles were identified. In the first pattern (pattern A), the suprahyoids usually fired concurrently with the superior head of the lateral pterygoid muscle with little or no elevator activity evident. In the second pattern (pattern B), the temporal muscle, masseter muscle and superior head of the lateral pterygoid muscle fired concurrently with the suprahyoids. In the third pattern (pattern C), elevator and lateral pterygoid activity preceded the suprahyoid burst. The inferior head of the lateral pterygoid was not active in any swallowing pattern. About 60-70 per cent of the salivary swallows were of pattern A. Most water-swallows were of patterns B and C, while those swallows associated with mastication were entirely of pattern C.
Aspergillus Infection of a Permanent Ventricular Pacing Lead

Fungal infections of intracardiac pacemakers are extremely rare. We describe what appears to be the first reported case of Aspergillus infection of a permanent pacing lead and review the three reported cases of other fungal infections of pacemaker leads which we could find in the literature. These infections may be encountered more frequently as the number of permanent pacemakers implanted in elderly patients with underlying medical illnesses continues to increase.
Metabolic implications of Ldh‐B genotype during early development in Fundulus heteroclitus

The metabolic rates of different Ldh-B genotypes of developing Fundulus heteroclitus embryos were examined. Within 24 hours after fertilization, eggs homozygous for the southern (Ldh-B a ) allele began to exhibit significantly higher oxygen consumption than eggs homozygous for the northern (Ldh-B b ) allele. No significant differences existed between genotypes with respect to total LDH-B 4 activity or ontogeny throughout development. Lactate concentrations were significantly different in the oocytes between genotypes (Ldh-B a =48 mM; Ldh-B b =40 mM)
Variability of broad emission lines in high-luminosity, high-redshift quasars

We examine the variability of the high-ionization Lyman alpha lambda 1216 broad emission line (BEL) in a sample of 61 high-luminosity, high-redshift quasars observed at two epochs by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. These bright objects lie in the redshift interval z=[2.5, 4.3] and have luminosities $3.4 \times 10^{45} \lesssim \lambda L_{\lambda} \lesssim 3.4 \times 10^{46}$ erg/s at 1450A. Utilizing improved spectrophotometric flux calibrations relative to nearby compact stars observed simultaneously, we are able to measure the flux changes in Lyman alpha and the nearby continuum at two epochs. We find 20 objects that exhibit Lyman alpha BEL flux variability at a significance level greater than 5 sigma on time-scales ranging from days to years in the quasar rest frame. The results show that, although some earlier work showed no significant detections of Lyman alpha BEL flux changes in a quasar sample with even higher luminosity, variability is present and readily observable in the sample studied here. We also consider the CIV lambda1549 BEL. The lack of a strong correlation between Lyman alpha BEL variability and nearby continuum variability is consistent with the presence of a time lag between the variations, whereas the presence of a stronger correlation between Lyman alpha BEL variability and CIV BEL variability suggests that these BEL regions (BELRs) are at similar distances from the central ionizing source. Some interesting examples are high-lighted in the analysis, including a case where the flux of an Lyman alpha BEL increased by ~26% in 14 days in the quasar rest frame, suggesting that the BELR has the shape of a disc, which is being observed face-on. This work demonstrates that future campaigns of spectrophotometric monitoring can improve our understanding of the structure of the BELRs of high-luminosity, high-redshift quasars.
Functional Characterization of Neuroendocrine Regulation of Branchial Carbonic Anhydrase Induction in the Euryhaline Crab Callinectes sapidus

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) plays an essential role as a provider of counterions for Na/H and Cl/ HCO3 exchange in branchial ionic uptake processes in euryhaline crustaceans. CA activity and gene expression are low in crabs acclimated to full-strength seawater, with trans- fer to low salinity resulting in large-scale inductions of mRNA and subsequent enzyme activity in the posterior ion-regulating gills (e.g., G7). In the green crab Carcinus maenas, CA has been shown to be under inhibitory neu- roendocrine control by a putative hormone in the x-organ- sinus gland complex (XOSG), located in the eyestalk. This study characterizes the neuroendocrine regulation of CA induction in the blue crab Callinectes sapidus, a commonly used experimental organism for crustacean osmoregulation. In crabs acclimated to full-strength seawater, eyestalk liga- tion (ESL) triggered a 1.8- and 100-fold increase in CA activity and mRNA, respectively. Re-injection with eyestalk homogenates abolished increases in CA activity and frac- tionally reduced CA gene expression. ESL also enhanced CA induction by 33% after 96 h in crabs transferred to 15 ppt salinity. Injection of eyestalk homogenates into intact crabs transferred from 35 to 15 ppt diminished by 43% the CA induction stimulated by low salinity. These results point to the presence of a repressor hormone in the eyestalk. Separate injections of medullary tissue (MT) and sinus gland (SG), two components of the eyestalk, reduced salin- ity-stimulated CA activity by 22% and 49%, suggesting that the putative repressor is localized to the SG. Crabs injected with SG extract harvested from crabs acclimated to 5 ppt showed no decrease in CA activity, demonstrating that the hormone is down-regulated at low salinity. Our results show the presence in the XOSG of an inhibitory compound that regulates salinity-stimulated CA induction.
New drugs of 1997.

Objective To provide information regarding the most important properties of the new therapeutic agents marketed in 1997. Data Sources Published studies, drug information reference sources, and product labeling Data Synthesis A record-setting number of 45 new therapeutic agents were marketed in 1997. The indications and information on dosage and administration for each new agent are reviewed, as are the most important pharmacokinetic properties, adverse events, drug interactions, and other precautions. Practical considerations for the use of the new agents are also discussed. Where possible, the properties of the new drugs are compared with those of older drugs marketed for the same indications. Conclusion A number of the new therapeutic agents marketed in 1997 have important advantages over older medications. An understanding of the properties of these agents is important for the pharmacist to effectively counsel patients about their use and to serve as a valuable source of information for other health professionals regarding these drugs.
Engineering biomaterials that exhibit recognition and specificity

A set of methods that can be used to create surfaces to accurately control biological reactions is described. These include strategies for inhibiting non-specific reactions, making highly organized surfaces, spatially arraying recognition moieties and characterizing complex surfaces.
The pilot study on the mechanism of CNE1 cells apoptosis induced by I3C

Objective To study the effect of indoel-3-carbinol on CNE1 cells as well as the mechanism underlying it.Methods The inhibition of cell proliferation was assay by WST-1 agent,and the apoptosis was shown with DAPI and JC-1 staining.To study the mechanism of apoptosis,the expressions of the survivin protein were detected with western immublotting assay.Results The results showed that I3C could inhibit the proliferation of CNE1 cells with the dose-dependent manner and the apoptosis could be induced,too.Further more,the expressions of survivin appeared to be decreased significantly as compared with those of the control.Conclusion It is suggested that I3C could induce apoptosis of CNE1 cells in the manner of dose-dependent,and survivin might play a role during above processes.
Investigation of Health Education for the Students in Medical College Currently

The health education for the student in medical college is very important,so it was investigated how to promote the level of health education in medical college by cultivating the knowledge and ability for the medical student in the article.It has been confirmed that could enhanced the rationale and competence for medical student overall and efficiently,which inclduing health education training for student and teacher,and the communication,practice and teaching currently.
About Hilbert-Pachpatte Inequalities for Semigroups, Cosine and Sine Operator Functions

Here we present Hilbert-Pachpatte type general Lp inequalities regarding Semigroups, Cosine and Sine Operator functions.
Renal angiomyolipoma associated with lymph node involvement and renal cell carcinoma in patients with tuberous sclerosis.

AbstractRenal angiomyolipomas are found in more than half of the patients with tuberous sclerosis. We report on 3 patients with tuberous sclerosis and pathologically aggressive renal angiomyolipoma with retroperitoneal lymph node involvement and/or renal cell carcinoma. All patients have had a benign course. The literature is reviewed and supports the benign nature of this seemingly aggressive disorder. An approach to the evaluation and treatment of a child with tuberous sclerosis and renal angiomyolipoma is presented.
'Ageism' and right to die litigation.

This study examines 88 reported judicial decisions involving adult patients and decisions about life-prolonging medical treatments. The patient's age by itself does not appear to be a factor influencing findings of mental competency or incompetency or findings of the appropriateness or inappropriateness of abating life-prolonging medical treatments. Neither can an explicit ageist bias be extracted from an analysis of the text of judicial decisions in this arena. Various potential explanations for the lack of apparent ageist bias are suggested.
Underlying low tones in Ruwund

In this paper the author examines data from Ruwund, a language with surface tone patterns often the reverse of those reconstructed for Proto Bantu, and proposes that, whereas most contemporary Bantu languages are believed to have tonal systems based on an underlying high/toneless contrast, Ruwund is based on a low/toneless contrast. Rules of tone spread and deletion apply to low tones rather than high tones, and the "default low insertion" rule of other languages is replaced in Ruwund by a rule adding default high tones. This finding is theoretically significant in that it contradicts Pulleyblank's [1986] proposal that "low" is always the default value in a two-tone language.
The Dirac Equation in the STA

In this chapter the STA form of the Dirac equation is introduced. Conservation laws are derived from the Lagrangian and plane wave solutions are presented.
Behavioral Interviews in School Psychology: Issues in Psychometric Adequacy and Research

Interviews between school psychologists and teachers or parents are usually conducted informally and unsystematically in the assessment process. Consequently, interviews have not been considered a ...
Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Changes During Clozapine Treatment

People with schizophrenia are 3–4 times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than the general population. Clozapine (CLZ) is the gold standard of treatment for refractory schizophrenia. It has been associated with tachycardia and recent evidence shows individuals prescribed CLZ may develop blood pressure (BP) elevation and hypertension. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of CLZ on BP and heart rate (HR). This was a retrospective chart review of patients 18–75 years old with a DSM IV diagnosis of Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective disorder. Primary outcomes were systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and HR measured 12 weeks before and 24 weeks during CLZ treatment. Eighteen patient records were included in this study. The mean stabilized CLZ dose was 441.7 ± 171.8 mg/day. DBP (t = 1.02, df = 79.5, = 2.00, 0.049) and HR (t = 1.32, df = 355 = −4.61, < 0.0001) were significantly higher after CLZ initiation. A trend was noted for increase in SBP (p = 0.071). 22 % of patients met criteria for hypertension before CLZ and 67 % during CLZ treatment (Chi Square = 6.25, df = 1, p = 0.0124). No significant changes in weight or renal function occured during CLZ treatment. No patients had evidence of cardiomyopathy. The data suggest CLZ may be associated with a rise in BP and HR. The results of this study support previous literature that found an increase in SBP/DBP regardless of CLZ dose, occurring early in treatment. Due to high risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, more work is needed to determine risk factors and understand the mechanism of action that may cause this side effect.
Surgeon Burnout among American Pediatric Urologists

Abstract Introduction Burnout is a syndrome characterized by exhaustion, depersonalization and low personal achievement that leads to decreased effectiveness at work. Little to no information is known about the surgeon burnout rate of pediatric urologists. Methods An online survey containing a modified Maslach Burnout Inventory and additional demographic information was emailed to practicing pediatric urologists in the United States. The dependent variable was professional burnout measured by 3 subscales from the Maslach Burnout Inventory of 1) emotional exhaustion, 2) depersonalization and 3) low personal achievement. The independent variables included surgeon demographics and practice characteristics. Results The survey response rate was 66.7%. Of the 41 subjects most were male (82.9%), approximately three-quarters worked at academic centers, more than half had a rank of division chief or full professor and more than half worked more than 60 hours per week. Six (14.6%) pediatric urologists met the criteria for burnout, defined as high scores in emotional exhaustion plus high scores in depersonalization or low personal achievement. When comparing demographic and practice characteristics between pediatric urologists who were burned out to those who were not burned out, there were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups. Only American Urological Association North Central and Western sections had surgeons with burnout. Conclusions Pediatric urologists have a low burnout rate compared to adult urologists and other surgical specialties.
Screening in Primary Care: What Is the Best Way to Identify At-Risk Youth for Substance Use?

BACKGROUND: It is important to improve primary care providers’ capability to identify youth at risk for alcohol and other drug use. To our knowledge, this is the first study to use Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition criteria to compare screeners for youth for both alcohol and marijuana, given that these are the most frequently used substances by this age group. METHODS: We compared the psychometric performance of 4 screeners: the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Screening Guide (NIAAA SG), the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, the Car–Relax–Alone–Forget–Family and Friends–Trouble (CRAFFT) screener, and the Personal Experience Screening Questionnaire Problem Severity Scale (PESQ-PS) in identifying alcohol and marijuana use outcomes. Youth age 12 through 18 (N = 1573; 27% black, 51% Hispanic) were screened with the NIAAA SG, followed by a Web survey that included the other screeners and outcomes. RESULTS: Sensitivity for alcohol outcomes indicated that the NIAAA SG (0.87) did not perform as well as the CRAFFT (0.97) or PESQ-PS (0.97) screeners but performed better than the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (0.70). The pattern for sensitivity across screeners for marijuana outcomes was similar. CONCLUSIONS: An important tradeoff in primary care settings is precision versus practicality. Because of brevity and focus on frequency of drinking, the NIAAA SG offers ease of administration and is good at identifying youth with probably problematic drinking levels. The PESQ-PS and the CRAFFT correctly identify more at-risk youth for alcohol and marijuana than the NIAAA SG. Future work is needed to elucidate how to efficiently and accurately identify at-risk youth in the primary care setting, including determining the best cutoff points to use to increase sensitivity.
Sporicidal Action of Hydrogen Peroxide on Conidia From Toxigenic Strains of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus

Effects of pH, sucrose, glucose, and sodium chloride on resistance of 14-day-old conidiospores of Aspergillus parasiticus NRRL 2999 and 3315, and Aspergillus flavus NRRL 3353 to a solution of 6% hydrogen peroxide at 20 C were determined. An increase in time necessary to attain 99.9% destruction of spores resulted when the pH of hydrogen peroxide was adjusted from an initial value of 3.79 to 6.40 and 8.30. However, the amount of the increase was strain-dependent and was directly related to resistance of spores to peroxide. Addition of 10 to 40% sucrose or 3 to 10% sodium chloride to the menstruum caused either an increase or decrease in the time needed to destroy 99.9% of the spore population, depending on the amount of additive that was used. Spores were more difficult to inactivate by peroxide in the presence rather than absence of sucrose or salt, but protection afforded by the additives diminished when their concentration was great. Addition of 10 to 30% glucose elicited a similar response only from sp...
Compromising peer review

In December 2001 the National Tritium Labeling Facility (NTLF) at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in California passed out of existence. Its termination raises serious questions about America's stewardship of scientific facilities, for it signals the willingness of a respected US science agency to cater to political intervention on behalf of a handful of vocal anti-nuclear activists. The circumstances offer a bitter lesson to science administration everywhere.
How does ecological modernization explain agriculture adaptation in coastal Bangladesh? A critical discussion

ABSTRACTAnthropogenic climate change now plays a critical role in shaping climate–society interactions throughout the world. Though exposure to different climate-related risks varies globally, few countries or regions are more vulnerable to climate change than Bangladesh. Due to its geomorphology, southwest coastal Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable. And in that region a majority of the population depends on various climate-sensitive sectors, such as rain-fed agriculture, fisheries, and forestry. So climate plays an important role shaping the local livelihoods and sustainability efforts. Bangladesh is often labeled as the world’s most climate-vulnerable country; on the other hand, it is also a champion of various innovative adaptation initiatives. Innovations and diffusions of agricultural technology are rapidly expanding as part of nation’s effort to increase its agricultural productivity. Ecological Modernization Theory can be used to explain this situation as a response to climate-related risks and ...
Introductory Emergency Medicine Clinical Skills Course: A Daylong Course Introducing Preclinical Medical Students to the Role of First Responders.

Introduction A complete medical school curriculum must include an introduction to first aid; the management of airway, breathing, and circulation; and basic medical emergencies. The September 11, 2...
Navigating Between Home and Empire: Mobility and Male Friendship in Tom Brown’s Schooldays and The Three Midshipmen

In this article, we investigate the public school novel as represented by Thomas Hughes’s Tom Brown’s Schooldays (1857) and the boy’s sea story as represented by W. H. G. Kingston’s The Three Midshipmen (1873). The school novel and the sea story sometimes functioned as twinned forms enabling authors for boys to explore anxieties about male selfhood and relocating oneself in the larger community while growing up. As becomes especially apparent when they are read together, these novels address the boy’s relationship to home and empire, rootlessness and rootedness. The coming-of-age plot found in the boys’ books reveals a literature that embraces both rootlessness/mobility and rootedness/community and that posits an all-male version of something closely resembling domestic life as a way to navigate between the two.
Examining the structure and behavior of Afghanistan’s routine childhood immunization system using system dynamics modeling

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how public health and systems science methods can be combined to examine the structure and behavior of Afghanistan’s routine childhood immunization system to identify the pathways through which health system readiness to deliver vaccination services may extend beyond immunization outcomes. Design/methodology/approach Using findings from an ecological study of Afghanistan’s immunization system and a literature review on immunization program delivery, the routine immunization system was mapped using causal loop diagrams. Next, a stock-and-flow diagram was developed and translated to a system dynamics (SD) model for a system-confirmatory exercise. Data are from annual health facility assessments and two cross-sectional household surveys. SD model results were compared with measured readiness and service outcomes to confirm system structure. Findings Readiness and demand-side components were associated with improved immunization coverage. The routine immunization system was mapped using four interlinking readiness subsystems. In the SD model, health worker capacity and demand-side factors significantly affected maternal health service coverage. System readiness components affected their future measures mostly negatively, which may indicate that the reinforcing feedback drives current system-structured behavior. Originality/value The models developed herein are useful to explore the potential impact of candidate interventions on service outcomes. This paper documents the process through which public health and systems investigators can collaboratively develop models that represent the feedback-driven behavior of health systems. Such models allow for more realistically addressing health policy and systems-level research questions.
Toward enhancing thermal conductivity of polymer-based thin films for microelectronics cooling

Thermal interface materials with high thermal conductivity can remove heat efficiently from electronic devices. Carbon nanotube/polymer composite is a good candidate for thermal interface materials. We calculated the thermal conductivity of vertically aligned carbon nanotube/polyethylene (CNT/PE) composite and compared it with vertically aligned CNT and PE based on equilibrium molecular dynamics. We found that the thermal conductivity of CNT/PE composite along the alignment direction can be as high as 470.1±45.1 W/(mK), which is about 40% of that of CNT and about 16 times larger than that of PE. This can be well explained by vibrational density of states. The ultrahigh thermal conductivity of aligned CNT/PE composite may open up exciting opportunities towards enhancing the cross-plane thermal conductivity of polymer-based thermal interface materials for efficient microelectronics cooling.
The (Q,S,s) Pricing Rule

We introduce menu costs in the search-theoretic model of imperfect competition of Burdett and Judd. When menu costs are not too large, the equilibrium is such that sellers follow a (Q,S,s) pricing rule. According to the rule, a seller lets inflation erode the real value of its nominal price until it reaches some point s. Then, the seller pays the menu cost and resets the real value of its nominal price to a point randomly drawn from a distribution with support [S,Q], where s S Q. A (Q,S,s) equilibrium differs with respect to a standard (S,s) equilibrium: (1) in a (Q,S,s) equilibrium, sellers sometimes keep their nominal price constant to avoid paying the menu cost, other times because they are indifferent to changes in the real value of their price. An exploratory calibration reveals that menu costs account less than half of the observed duration of nominal prices. (2) in a (Q,S,s) equilibrium, higher inflation leads to higher real prices, as sellers pass onto buyers the cost of more frequent price adjustments, and to lower welfare.
Longitudinal study of Staphylococcus aureus colonization and infection in a cohort of swine veterinarians in the United States

People working with pigs are at elevated risk of harboring methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in their nose, which is attributable to occupational exposure to animals harboring livestock adapted S. aureus. To obtain insight into the biological nature of occupationally related nasal culture positivity, we conducted a longitudinal study of 66 swine veterinarians in the USA. The study cohort resided in 15 US states and worked predominantly with swine. Monthly for 18 months, participants self-collected nasal swabs and completed a survey to report recent exposure to pigs and other animals; the occurrence of work related injuries; and any relevant health events such as skin and soft tissue infections or confirmed staphylococcal infections. Nasal swabs were cultured using selective methods to determine the presence of MRSA and methicillin susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), and isolates were characterized by spa typing and MLST. Prevalences of S. aureus (64%, monthly range from 58 to 82%) and MRSA (9.5%; monthly range from 6 to15%) were higher than reported for the US population (30% and 1.5% respectively). Predominant spa types were t034 (ST398, 37%), t002 (ST5, 17%) and t337 (ST9/ST398 13%), a distribution similar to that found in a concurrent study in pigs in the USA. Veterinarians were classified into three groups: Persistent carriers (PC, 52%), Intermittent carriers (IC, 47%) and Non-carriers (NC, 1%). Persistent carriage of a single spa type was observed in 14 (21%) of participants, and paired (first and last) isolates from PC subjects had minor genetic differences. Swabs from PC veterinarians carried higher numbers of S. aureus. Among IC veterinarians, culture positivity was significantly associated with recent contact with pigs. Exposure to pigs did not lead to prolonged colonization in most subjects, and the higher numbers of S. aureus in PC subjects suggests that unknown host factors may determine the likelihood of prolonged colonization by S. aureus of livestock origin. Exposure to S. aureus and persistent colonization of swine veterinarians was common but rarely associated with S. aureus disease.
Propensity Scores in Pharmacoepidemiology: Beyond the Horizon.

Propensity score methods have become commonplace in pharmacoepidemiology over the past decade. Their adoption has confronted formidable obstacles that arise from pharmacoepidemiology’s reliance on large healthcare databases of considerable heterogeneity and complexity. These include identifying clinically meaningful samples, defining treatment comparisons, and measuring covariates in ways that respect sound epidemiologic study design. Additional complexities involve correctly modeling treatment decisions in the face of variation in healthcare practice and dealing with missing information and unmeasured confounding. In this review, we examine the application of propensity score methods in pharmacoepidemiology with particular attention to these and other issues, with an eye towards standards of practice, recent methodological advances, and opportunities for future progress. Propensity score methods have matured in ways that can advance comparative effectiveness and safety research in pharmacoepidemiology. These include natural extensions for categorical treatments, matching algorithms that can optimize sample size given design constraints, weighting estimators that asymptotically target matched and overlap samples, and the incorporation of machine learning to aid in covariate selection and model building. These recent and encouraging advances should be further evaluated through simulation and empirical studies, but nonetheless represent a bright path ahead for the observational study of treatment benefits and harms.