cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computer understanding of natural language

The state of research in automatic natural language processing at Yale University is described. Five programs are discussed: SAM, FRUMP, PAM, TALESPIN, and POLITICS.
Changes in rat corneal matrix metalloproteinases and serine proteinases under vitamin A deficiency

PURPOSE. Vitamin A deficiency alters the transparency of the cornea due to epithelial cell keratinization and increases the susceptibility of the cornea to ulceration. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of vitamin A deficiency on rat corneal matrix metalloproteinases and serine proteinases. METHODS. Four dietary groups of male WAG/RijMCW rats were prepared: (1) Vitamin A deficient rats were raised on a casein-based retinoid deficient diet; (2) Retinol repleted rats were raised on the retinoid deficient diet. On the eighty-sixth day on this diet, the rats were fed retinyl palmitate and then given free access to the retinyl palmitate-supplemented control diet; (3) The weight-matched, pair-fed rats were restricted in their intake of the retinyl palmitate-supplemented diet so that their weight gain matched that of the A– rats; (4) The non-restricted rats were given free access to the retinyl palmitate-supplemented diet. The animals were killed at the late plateau stage for weight of the def...
The Realities of Work

Mike Noon and Paul Blyton, in their book ‘The Realities of Work,’ effectively review varied and conflicting views on issues in today's changing workplace. The authors propose that no single representation of work is adequate to explain the changes that are occurring. New technology, new forms of organization, and new thinking in management all are factors that contribute to the transformation of the workplace. Noon and Blyton adopt a pluralistic perspective in their examination of six areas they have identified as ‘key tensions in the study of work.’ They attempt to balance theoretical and empirical orientations without minimizing the value of either.
53BP1 Is a Haploinsufficient Tumor Suppressor and Protects Cells from Radiation Response in Glioma

The DNA damage response (DDR) plays a crucial role in tumor development in different tissues. Here, we show that p53-binding protein 1 (53BP1), a key element of the DDR, is heterozygously lost in approximately 20% of human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) specimens, primarily of the Proneural subtype, and low 53BP1 expression levels are associated with worse prognosis. We present evidence that 53BP1 behaves as haploinsufficient tumor suppressor in a mouse model of platelet-derived growth factor–induced gliomagenesis. We also show that very low level of 53BP1 as found in 53BP1 null gliomas or robust 53BP1 gene silencing in glioma cell lines (but not 53BP1 heterozygous tumors or partial gene knockdown) sensitizes glioma cells to ionizing radiation (IR), both in vitro and in vivo. We further show the 53BP1 gene silencing induces defects in the nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) DNA repair pathway. These deficiencies lead to a failure to fully repair the damaged DNA upon exposure of glioma cells to IR with a consequent prolonged cell-cycle arrest and increased apoptosis. Our data suggest that either 53BP1 or other NHEJ components may be critical molecules to be pharmacologically targeted in GBM in combination with standard therapies. Cancer Res; 72(20); 5250–60. ©2012 AACR .
Mowing and fertilizer effects on seedling establishment in a successional old field

Aims We used a 10-year field experiment that consisted of mowing and fertilizer treatments to evaluate the role of niche limitation in seedling establishment of species from different functional groups and of varying local abundance in an old field undergoing succession. Methods Seedlings of nine different species were planted into a successional field subjected to mowing and fertilizer treatments for 10 years that resulted in different plant communities and resource availability. Species representative of the factorial combination of three functional groups (C4 grasses, C3 grasses and legumes) and three abundance categories (abundant, present, or absent in the old field) were planted in four treatments resulting from the factorial combination of annual spring mowing (mowed and unmowed) and fertilizer application (annually fertilized and unfertilized). Survivorship, relative growth rate (RGR) and biomass were measured to determine the role of niche limitation on recruitment and growth.
Geochemical behaviour of boron during the metamorphism of carbonate rocks

Abstract Studies were made of the polymorphic form and the boron content of illites from variously metamorphosed carbonate rocks. The per cent of the 2 M polymorph in the illite from a given sample is used as an index of metamorphism. Some samples were reanalyzed for boron, after destruction of illite. The results show that increasing metamorphism causes (1) no significant change in the mean boron content (referred to illite) of insoluble residues and clay fractions, (2) an increase in the variance of individual values about the mean boron content of illite from a group of similarly metamorphosed samples, and the release of boron from the illite structure during the 1 Md-2 M transformation, with the concomitant generation, in situ, of magnesian tourmaline (dravite). The redistribution of boron appears to take place progressively with increasing metamorphism. Processes of polymorphic transformation and dravite formation are completed at greenschist facies metamorphic conditions.
Patients' complaints at a large psychiatric hospital: can they lead to better patient services?

Purpose – Little is known about complaints made by psychiatric patients. The aim of this study is to analyse complaints made by, or behalf of, inpatients at a large independent psychiatric hospital.Design/methodology/approach – The hospital's complaints register was used to identify and study complaints made during 2006. A descriptive analysis was performed.Findings – Of the 392 complaints, 39 per cent related to staff behaviour, 26 per cent to clinical matters, 18 per cent to the behaviour of other patients and the remaining 16 per cent to the physical environment and facilities. Action as a result of complaints was mainly taken at unit level but in 9 per cent of cases organisation‐wide improvements were made, for example to enrich patient treatment programmes, rectify staff shortages and improve the quality of meals.Research limitations/implications – The study took place in a specialist hospital and so the findings cannot be generalised to the wider NHS. Important differences exist between complaints m...
Decline in the Quality of Family Relationships Predicts Escalation in Children's Internalizing Symptoms from Middle to Late Childhood.

An integration of family systems perspectives with developmental psychopathology provides a framework for examining the complex interplay between family processes and developmental trajectories of child psychopathology over time. In a community sample of 98 families, we investigated the evolution of family relationships, across multiple subsystems of the family (i.e., interparental, mother-child, father-child), and the impact of these changing family dynamics on developmental trajectories of child internalizing symptoms over 6 years, from preschool age to pre-adolescence. Parent–child relationship quality was observed during lengthy sessions, consisting of multiple naturalistic, carefully scripted contexts. Each parent completed reports about interparental relationship satisfaction and child internalizing symptoms. To the extent that mothers experienced a steeper decline in interparental relationship satisfaction over time, children developed internalizing symptoms at a faster rate. Further, symptoms escalated at a faster rate to the extent that negative mother-child relationship quality increased (more negative affect expressed by both mother and child, greater maternal power assertion) and positive mother-child relationship quality decreased (less positive affect expressed by both mother and child, less warmth and positive reciprocity). Time-lagged growth curve analyses established temporal precedence such that decline in family relationships preceded escalation in child internalizing symptoms. Results suggest that family dysfunction, across multiple subsystems, represents a driving force in the progression of child internalizing symptoms.
DNA Helicases: Chemistry and Mechanisms

DNA helicases are members of a larger class of enzymes composed of molecular motors that couple the energy of NTP binding and hydrolysis to directional translocation along a nucleic acid lattice. Structurally and mechanistically related helicases perform drastically different roles in DNA metabolism by associating with various macromolecular machineries that orchestrate DNA processing events. Within these macromolecular ensembles, DNA helicase translocation is coupled to separation of duplex DNA into two single strands, which is necessary for DNA replication, repair, recombination and transcription. Translocation by DNA helicases can also result in the disassembly of protein–nucleic acid complexes formed during DNA metabolism. One major consequence of cellular dependence on DNA helicases is that defects in these enzymes result in a broad spectrum of disorders usually characterized by premature aging, susceptibility to cancer, and other diseases normally associated with aging.
A Theory of the Complex Dielectric Permittivity of Soil Containing Water: The Semidisperse Model

A model of soil composed of a multiphase mixture of solid particles, water, and air voids is proposed from which the complex permittivity, or dielectric constant and conductivity, is calculated. It is based on the Hanai/Bruggelman/Wagner theory of mixtures and considers the ionic conducting water as partly dispersed and partly the dispersing medium, an important distinction with this theory. The permittivity as a function of frequency and water content is predicted. The increase in dielectric constant with water volume fraction does not differ greatly with soil type in the high-frequency limit and is approximated by a normal curve specified by the theory. A normal curve and the marked increase in dielectric constant at lower frequencies has been observed experimentally. It is concluded that this semidisperse theory of the dielectric permittivity is successful in describing the behavior of soils containing moisture in the high-frequency range (1 MHz-1 GHz). Approximations to the more detailed theory and a series-parallel RC equivalent circuit are given.
The Research Process in a Multi-level Mixed-Methods Case Study: International Organization Headquarters and Field Employee Perspectives of a Program in Southern Sudan

This article provides an overview of the methods and data-collection process for a multi- level mixed-methods case study. Data for the study were gathered through phone interviews and electronic surveys from individuals working on the same educational program in Southern Sudan, though some were supporting the program from outside the country. The primary comparison was to examine the varied perceptions held by staff involved in a program, that depended on whether they worked in the field, the program office or the international or regional headquarters. This article examines mixed-method research using remote data collection. It also examines how previous experience working on a different program in Southern Sudan helped to prepare for this study.
Therapeutic hypercapnia and ventilation-perfusion matching in acute lung injury: low minute ventilation vs inspired CO2.

Study objectives Hypercapnic acidosis has antiinflammatory effects in animal models of acute lung injury (ALI) and improves ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) matching in normal lungs. The effect of hypercapnia on V/Q matching in ALI is conflicting. Hypercapnic acidosis produced by reduced tidal volumes (V t s) was associated with an increased shunt fraction (QS/QT) in patients with ALI compared with control subjects. V t differences between groups make the assessment of hypercapnic acidosis on V/Q matching difficult. Adding CO 2 to the inhaled gas allows the comparison of gas exchange under identical V t conditions. We hypothesized the presence of hypercapnic acidosis from inspired carbon dioxide (ICD) would improve gas exchange in ALI and would be superior to that of low minute ventilation (LV e ) produced by reduced respiratory rate, rather than V t . Design University laboratory study of anesthetized New Zealand White rabbits. Interventions Assessment of V/Q relationships using the multiple inert gas elimination technique was performed in 10 saline solution-lavaged animals, which were ventilated with 6 mL/kg V t s and a positive end-expiratory pressure of 8 cm H 2 O. Each rabbit was studied while it was in eucapnia, followed by hypercapnia (Pa co 2 , 95 to 100 mm Hg) induced by LV e from decreased respiratory rate and by 10% ICD, in random order. Measurements and results The Pa o 2 was greater in ICD and LV e compared to eucapnia, but no significant differences in alveolar-arterial oxygen pressure difference or Pao 2 /fraction of inspired oxygen ratio occurred. LV e statistically reduced the mean V/Q distributions compared with ICD and eucapnia. Log SDs of ventilation and combined retention and excretion curves of the dispersion index were both increased during LV e , indicating the presence of unfavorable changes in ventilation distribution. Neither LV e nor ICD altered the QS/QT. Conclusions LV e slightly impairs overall gas exchange and ventilation distribution, but does not increase QS/QT compared with eucapnia and ICD. While ICD does not significantly improve gas exchange, it may be superior to LV e in achieving the antiinflammatory effects of “therapeutic” hypercapnia, since it does not adversely alter gas exchange and has the potential to make the lung more uniformly acidotic.
Tunable and coherent radiation in the range of 2.7-29 /spl mu/m based on phase-matched difference-frequency generation in GaSe

Summary from only given. We report our first result of achieving the coherent mid-IR and far-IR radiations with extremely-wide tunability and narrow linewidth in a GaSe crystal. As shown below, we have extended the output wavelengths to the far-IR. In our DFG experiment, the two mixing beams used for the DFG consists of the idler beam of an OPO pumped by a frequency-tripled Nd:YAG laser and the residual Nd:YAG fundamental beam.
Sonographic diagnosis of a uterine defect in a pregnancy at 6 weeks' gestation with a history of curettage

We present the early diagnosis and successful surgical treatment of uterine perforation. This was a rare case of cystic change of a uterine perforation, which was diagnosed by sonography during the first trimester of pregnancy. Surgical closure of the uterine wall defect was successful.
Medial pectoral nerve to axillary nerve neurotization following traumatic brachial plexus injuries: indications and clinical outcomes

Introduction The medial pectoral nerve (MPN) represents a viable donor nerve for neurotization procedures for restoration of shoulder function following upper trunk brachial plexus injuries.
Prematurely condensed chromosomes and meiotic abnormalities in unfertilized human oocytes after ovarian stimulation with and without gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist

Abstract Objective: To investigate the incidence of meiotic abnormalities, aneuploidy, and prematurely condensed sperm chromosomes in failed fertilized oocytes after controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH). Design: Retrospective analysis of air-dried preparations of unfertilized oocytes. Setting: University hospital-based infertility clinic. Patient(s): Thirty-three patients undergoing IVF having only tubal factor as the cause of infertility. Twelve patients (13 cycles) underwent treatment with hMG alone (-GnRH agonist [GnRH-a]), and 21 patients (24 cycles) underwent treatment with leuprolide acetate (LA) and hMG (+GnRH-a group). Intervention(s): Standard IVF-ET treatment cycle for ovarian stimulation using hMG with or without LA. Main Outcome Measure(s): The meiotic stage, ploidy, and the presence of prematurely condensed sperm chromosomes were determined in 161 air-dried preparations of unfertilized oocytes. Result(s): Significantly more unfertilized oocytes were at metaphase II in the -GnRH-a group as compared with the +GnRH-a group, with significantly fewer exhibiting meiotic aberrations. Aneuploidy rates did not differ between groups. However, significantly more oocytes in the +GnRH-a group revealed prematurely condensed sperm chromosomes than in the -GnRH-a group. Conclusion(s): The use of GnRH-a for COH does not have an impact on aneuploidy rates in failed fertilized oocytes. However, the higher incidence of meiotic aberrations and prematurely condensed sperm chromosomes in the unfertilized population indicates that some retrieved oocytes exhibit incomplete nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation after the use of this agonist.
Arousal in Alcoholics and Social Drinkers Progressing through a Drinking Sequence

Physiological and self-report reactions of 11 nonabstinent, nonhospital-ized alcoholics and 11 social drinkers were monitored before, during, and after consumption of two supposedly alcoholic beverages. Unlike previous reports that alcoholics experience increased anxiety/arousal prior to drinking, no such evidence was observed in the present study. Both alcoholics and social drinkers, however evidenced reduced pulse rates during and following drinking. It is suggested that previous investigations may have found predrinking anxiety increases because of their use of hospitalized (and often abstinent) alcoholics and/or their use of procedures which highlighted the negative aspects/consequences of drinking.
Modeling Cultural Idea Systems: The Relationship between Theory Models and Data Models

Subjective experience is transformed into objective reality for societal members through cultural idea systems that can be represented with theory and data models. A theory model shows relationships and their logical implications that structure a cultural idea system. A data model expresses patterning found in ethnographic observations regarding the behavioral implementation of cultural idea systems. An example of this duality for modeling cultural idea systems is illustrated with Arabic proverbs that structurally link friend and enemy as concepts through a culturally defined computational system. Computational systems also generate new concepts, as will be illustrated through a theory model for the structure of a kinship terminology system. This examples accounts for what otherwise appears to be an anomaly in the terminology thereby illustrating the constructive role that modeling of cultural constructs can play in ethnographic research. Language is … a symbolic, intersubjective, self-referential system ...
Partitioning logic on graph structures to minimize routing cost

The problem of partitioning logic onto the vertices of a partition graph G such that the cost of routing the global nets of the partition on the edges of G is minimized is discussed. This is referred to as the min-cost partitioning on a graph (MCPG) problem. The MCPG problem generalizes previously studied partitioning problems, such as classical min-cut, the quadrisection approach, min-cost tree partitioning, and multiple way network partitioning. Some applications of this partitioning model are discussed, a framework for its solution is described, and experimental results are presented. >
Plasmonics without negative dielectrics

Some of the plasmonic phenomena can be imitated by exploiting the structural dispersion of parallel-plate waveguides filled with positive dielectrics. This synthetic platform, as a test bed for exploring plasmonic features, is more suitable for longer-wavelength regimes and may exhibit lower loss, since positive dielectric materials are utilized.
Green Movement, Clerical, Activist and Public Responses to Heightened Repression Since the 2009 Presidential Elections in Iran: A Survey and Assessment of Implications for Political Change

In order to contain the considerable challenge they faced from opposition and popular forces following the 2009 Presidential elections, Iran’s hardliners resorted to heightened levels of coercion and repression. Mass arrests, forced confessions, show trails, systematic torture and rape in detention centers and severe limits on freedoms of press, speech and assembly ensued. This study has two primary aims. First, it attempts to draw a composite of the elaborate response to this repression which emerged from four sources: (1) the de facto leaders of the Green Movement, (2) a group of mostly high-ranking clerics, (3) jailed opposition and civil society activists and (4) the broader population. Second, the study considers the significance of the response laid out for political accommodation and change in Iran. The study finds that the repression undertaken by hardliners following the 2009 elections spurred contention and criticism unprecedented in its nature and scope in the history of the Islamic Republic. The resort to coercion had significant delegitimizing effects on hardliners’ ideology, institutions, and claims to legitimate rule. The regime’s repression backfired after rising to the level of a major societal grievance. Yet hardliners were able to weather the initial storm of the first six months of discontent and to date the repression has failed to translate into openings for consequential political change. At the same time, while the political and public focus on the state’s repression has waned since the first months following the 2009 elections, the issue as a grievance and source of delegitimation has never entirely disappeared from opposition discourses and public consciousness since. This means that as both repression and opposition challenges to its deployment continue in Iran, the potential for political change at least in part spurred by challenges to hardliners’ repression since June 2009, remains a possibility.
Polymorphisms in DNA repair gene XRCC1, APE1 and XPD and risk of acute side effects of radiotherapy in breast cancer patients.

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 46, 2005 485 Intrinsic and extrinsic factors can affect the occurrence of side effects of radiotherapy. DNA repair gene polymorphisms, which modify DNA repair capacity, could influence hypersensitivity to ionising radiation. We evaluated the association between polymorphisms in the DNA repair genes: XRCC1 (Arg194Trp, Arg280His, Arg399Gln), APE1 (Asp148Glu) and XPD (Lys751Gln and Asp312Asn), and the development of acute skin reactions after radiotherapy in a prospective study of 446 female patients with breast cancer. Individual DNA repair gene polymorphisms were determined using melting point analysis of sequence-specific hybridisation probes. The development of acute skin reactions (moist desquamation) associated with DNA repair gene polymorphisms was modelled using Cox proportional hazards, accounting for cumulative biologically effective radiation dose. Overall, we found no significant association between the genetic variants studied and the development of acute clinical radiosensitivity, which presented in 77 patients, although the hazard ratios (HR) were generally below one. When stratifying by body mass index, which has been shown to affect the occurrence of side effects, we observed differential risks for patients with normal weight and with overweight. Among normal weight patients, both carriers of the APE1 148Glu and the XRCC1399Gln allele had decreased risk of acute skin reactions after radiotherapy (HR 0.49; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.21-1.15; HR 0.51, 95% CI 0.22-1.19), respectively). The results for XRCC1 were confirmed by haplotype analysis. When considering joint effects, we observed that, compared to homozygote carriers of the wild-type allele in both genes, the risk was most strongly reduced in carriers of both APE1 148Glu and XRCC1399Gln alleles with normal weight (HR 0.19, 95% 0.06-0.56) but not in those with overweight (HR 1.39, 95% CI 0.56-3.45) (p for interaction 0.009). In summary, the XRCC1-399Gln or APE1 148Glu alleles may be protective against the development of acute clinical radiosensitivity after radiotherapy in patients with normal weight. This study was supported in part by the Bundesamt fur Strahlenschutz, Salzgitter, Germany and the USAMRMC FY01 Breast Cancer Research Program.
Evaluation of multipinhole collimators for cardiac SPECT

550 Objectives: Multipinhole (MP) collimators are used as an alternative to parallel hole collimators for high efficiency myocardial perfusion SPECT imaging. However, MP SPECT can be affected by artifacts introduced by limited angular sampling and attenuation. The objective of this study was to evaluate cardiac MP SPECT in terms of detection efficiency and image quality as function of angular sampling. Methods: We performed SPECT studies with custom 9 pinhole collimators (4.5 mm diameter pinholes) on a dual-headed GE Infinia Hawkeye system to image a myocardial insert containing 74 MBq 99mTc supported in an unfilled anthropomorphic torso phantom. The phantom was imaged with four 90s projections of the MP collimators positioned left lateral (LL), left anterior oblique (LAO), anterior (A), and right anterior oblique (RAO). The MP data then were reconstructed with a custom MLEM algorithm. To study the effect of angular sampling, different combinations of the MP projections were reconstructed: LAO, LAO+RAO, LL+A, LL+LAO+A, and all 4 projections. The reconstructed data were compared against results obtained with parallel hole (LEHR) collimators. The activity level in the phantom and imaging times guaranteed that none of the reconstructions were noise limited. In addition, we measured distance dependent spatial resolution and detection efficiency of the LEHR collimator and the MP collimator using point sources. Results: The image quality strongly varied with the number of views and the angular position of the MP collimator. While 3 to 4 views delivered comparable image quality to the parallel hole collimator, one view (LAO) and two views (LL+A) produced severely compromised image quality. However, positioning the MP collimator LAO+RAO delivered image quality almost comparable to the parallel hole collimator. Spatial resolution of the two collimators was comparable with the MP collimator exhibiting up to 5-fold higher detection efficiency at 10 cm distance. The detection efficiency degraded with distance from the collimator face yielding on average a 3-fold gain. Similarly, the cardiac phantom experiments showed 2-3 fold higher detection efficiency of the MP collimator depending on the imaging position. Conclusions: We demonstrated that MP collimators for cardiac imaging can have comparable image quality as parallel hole collimators but significantly higher detection efficiency.
Zinc absorption, mineral balance, and blood lipids in women consuming controlled lactoovovegetarian and omnivorous diets for 8 wk

Zinc absorption, mineral balance, and blood lipid concentrations were measured in 21 women aged 33 +/- 7 y (range: 20-42 y) consuming controlled lactoovovegetarian and nonvegetarian diets for 8 wk each in a crossover design. The lactoovovegetarian and nonvegetarian diets, respectively, provided (by analysis) 973 and 995 mg Ca, 1.8 and 1.3 mg Cu, 367 and 260 mg Mg, 5.9 and 2.5 mg Mn, 1457 and 1667 mg P, 9.1 and 11.1 mg Zn, and (by calculation) 40 and 16 g dietary fiber, 2.5 and 0.8 mmol phytic acid, molar ratios of phytate to Zn of 14 and 5, and millimolar ratios of (phytate x Ca) to Zn of 344 and 111. Dietary zinc absorption was measured by extrinsic isotopic labeling and whole-body counting. Plasma cholesterol, cholesterol fractions, and lipoproteins were reduced 7-12% with the lactoovovegetarian diet, consistent with predictions based on dietary cholesterol and fat. Blood pressure was unaffected. Calcium, copper, magnesium, and phosphorus balances were not different between diets; manganese balance tended to be greater with the lactoovovegetarian diet (P < 0.07). The lactoovovegetarian diet was associated with a 21% reduction in absorptive efficiency that, together with a 14% reduction in dietary zinc, reduced the amount of zinc absorbed by 35% (2.4 compared with 3.7 mg/d) and reduced plasma zinc by 5% within the normal range. Zinc balance was maintained with both diets. Although there is a greater risk of zinc deficiency in persons consuming lactoovovegetarian compared with omnivorous diets, with inclusion of whole grains and legumes zinc requirements can be met and zinc balance maintained.
The sensitivity of Gaffkya tetragena strains to penicillin and streptomycin.

Though Gaffkya tetragena is often regarded as a harmless saprophyte, it may on occasion produce serious infections which are generally characterized by septicemia, with localization producing arthritis and meningitis rather common.1 Fulminating cases may terminate fatally as early as the 7th day,2 while chronic cases may run a clinical course of as long as 7 months.3 The mortality rate from 44 cases of septicemia was reported by Reimann1 to be SC^. According to the same investigator, a total of more than 170 cases of infection with G. tetragena was reported in European literature prior to 1934. Cases in America, though rare, have been reported by Griewe and coworkers,4 Steele,5 Tobin,6 Goetchius and Lawrence,7 and Wynne.8 We agree with Reimann1 that such infections are probably more common than the literature indicates, since the organism is apt to be mistaken for a micrococcus.
Molecular Structural Changes of Plasticized PVC after UV Light Exposure

Plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) materials for industrial, medical, and household use are often intentionally exposed to UV light, though its impact on the molecular integrity and toxicity of the surface and bulk of PVC materials is still not well understood. This paper investigates the surface and bulk molecular changes of plasticized PVC films with 25, 10, or 0 wt % bis-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) plasticizer after exposure to short wave (254 nm) or long wave (365 nm) UV light. Surface analytical techniques including sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy (SFG) revealed short wave UV exposure induced major molecular changes on the plasticized PVC surfaces, resulting in increased surface hydrophilicity and decreased CH3 content with increasing exposure time. Additionally, it was deduced from multiple techniques that the surface and the bulk of the plastic exposed to short wave UV contained phthalic monoesters and phthalic acid formed from multistep radical reactions. In contrast, when ...
Dermabrasion and Thin Epidermal Grafting for Treatment of Large and Small Areas of Postburn Leukoderma: A Case Series and Review of the Literature.

Deep burn injuries can have serious aesthetic consequences as it often results in scar tissue and pigmentary changes of the skin. The focus of this article is to report our experience and results using dermabrasion and thin split-thickness skin grafting as a technique for restoring skin pigmentation after burn injuries. Patient records were obtained from a pediatric burn hospital medical record database from 1990 to 2007. Both charts and photographs were retrospectively reviewed. The treatment was evaluated for body region treated, surface area involved, effectiveness of treatment, and number of treatments required. Indications for the procedure included longstanding depigmentation, defined as greater than 1 year, and a patient wiling to have a donor site. The areas of vitiligo were marked and dermabraded with a mechanical dermabrader. Thin epidermal grafts with a thickness of 6 thousands of an inch were harvested with an air-powered dermatome. The grafts were affixed to the dermabraded bed and dressed open or with nonstick gauze for areas of the face and wrapped for areas in the extremities. Eleven patients underwent 16 procedures. The average size of the graft per procedure was 87 cm2 (4–500 cm2). All results were consistent and long-lasting at follow-up. Postburn leukoderma of long duration is well treated by dermabrasion and thin split-thickness skin grafting. This study is unique in describing grafting on multiple occasions and for larger areas than previously described, with two patients undergoing grafting more than 200 cm2.
Effect of interprofessional clinical education programme length on students’ attitudes towards teamwork

This article reports on a study involving a range of health professions students who participated in similar one-semester (short) or two-semester (long) interprofessional clinical education programmes that focused on clinical assessment of senior citizens living independently in the community. Students' attitudes towards teamwork skills and perceptions of their own teamwork skills both before and after the programmes were assessed using two validated scales. Osteopathic medical student participants reported no significant changes in attitudes towards interprofessional healthcare teamwork skills or their perceptions of their own interprofessional teamwork skills after either the one- or two-semester programmes. For athletic training, speech-language pathology, exercise sciences, public health, and nursing students, though, attitudes towards teamwork skills significantly improved (p < .05) after the one-semester programme; and perceptions of their own team skills significantly improved (p < .05) after both the one- and two-semester programmes. Overall, this study provides some support for interprofessional teamwork attitude change, but with a significant difference between medical as compared to nursing, allied health, and public health students.
Severe Neurological Complications Associated With Tourette Syndrome

Abstract Background Tics and Tourette syndrome are common problems evaluated by both the general pediatrician and pediatric neurologist. The common comorbidities of tics are well known, but the severe neurological complications are rare and may not be appreciated. Methods This is a retrospective case series and literature review. Results We present here four adolescents with Tourette syndrome who had severe neurological complications secondary to motor tics. We provide the history, neurological examination, and radiological findings in addition to a review of previously reported cases of vascular and cervical cord complications associated with violent motor tics. Conclusions We highlight the importance of recognizing the presenting signs of these complications early and the need to vigorously treat violent motor tics to prevent significant neurological complications.
Evaluation of subclavian catheters in gynecologic cancer patients.

Sixty-eight semipermanent subclavian catheters were placed in 61 patients with gynecologic malignancies. The principal indicator for placement was chemotherapeutic administration. Other uses included blood transfusion, antibiotic infusion, and hyperalimentation. The minor complication rate of 21% included exit site infections and clotted, broken, and dislodged catheters. There were no acute surgical complications; i.e., bleeding or pneumothorax, but there was a 6% major complication rate, which included four cases of sepsis and a case of a broken intravascular catheter.
A Capstone Assignment to Measure Student Competencies as a Program Assessment Tool

The requirement of multiple measures for program assessment set out in the 2008 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) may be challenging for social work programs as the evaluation shifts to student competencies and practice behaviors. This article offers a thorough description of a competency- based capstone project as one program assessment tool for the measurement of all 10 core competencies and 41 practice behaviors. The capstone, using a simulated case necessitating many of the skills required in practice, is second only to field instruction as a competency measure. Appendix A includes an actual capstone assignment as a relevant evaluation tool. Identifying student strengths and weaknesses is an essential component of the capstone assessment. Students begin the capstone after the completion of two field experiences and the majority of the social work curriculum.
WE-B-BRC-02: Risk Analysis and Incident Learning

Prospective quality management techniques, long used by engineering and industry, have become a growing aspect of efforts to improve quality management and safety in healthcare. These techniques are of particular interest to medical physics as scope and complexity of clinical practice continue to grow, thus making the prescriptive methods we have used harder to apply and potentially less effective for our interconnected and highly complex healthcare enterprise, especially in imaging and radiation oncology. An essential part of most prospective methods is the need to assess the various risks associated with problems, failures, errors, and design flaws in our systems. We therefore begin with an overview of risk assessment methodologies used in healthcare and industry and discuss their strengths and weaknesses. The rationale for use of process mapping, failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) and fault tree analysis (FTA) by TG-100 will be described, as well as suggestions for the way forward. This is followed by discussion of radiation oncology specific risk assessment strategies and issues, including the TG-100 effort to evaluate IMRT and other ways to think about risk in the context of radiotherapy. Incident learning systems, local as well as the ASTRO/AAPM ROILS system, can also be useful in the risk assessment process. Finally, risk in the context of medical imaging will be discussed. Radiation (and other) safety considerations, as well as lack of quality and certainty all contribute to the potential risks associated with suboptimal imaging. The goal of this session is to summarize a wide variety of risk analysis methods and issues to give the medical physicist access to tools which can better define risks (and their importance) which we work to mitigate with both prescriptive and prospective risk-based quality management methods. Learning Objectives: 1.Description of risk assessment methodologies used in healthcare and industry 2.Discussion of radiation oncology-specific risk assessment strategies and issues 3.Evaluation of risk in the context of medical imaging and image quality E. Samei: Research grants from Siemens and GE
Wild-type alternatively spliced p53: binding to DNA and interaction with the major p53 protein in vitro and in cells.

Abstract A p53 variant protein (p53as) generated from alternatively spliced p53 RNA is expressed in normal and malignant mouse cells and tissues, and p53as antigen activity is preferentially associated with the G2 phase of the cell cycle, suggesting that p53as and p53 protein may have distinct properties. Using p53as and p53 proteins translated in vitro, we now provide evidence that p53as protein has efficient sequence-specific DNA-binding ability. DNA binding by p53 protein is inefficient in comparison and requires activation. Furthermore, p53as and p53 proteins formed hetero-oligomers when co-translated in vitro, resulting in inactivation of p53as DNA-binding activity. Gel filtration indicated that p53as translated in vitro, like p53, formed tetramers. In support of a functional role of p53as in cells, p53as/p53 hetero-oligomers were coimmunoprecipitated from mouse cells, and both protein forms were detectable in nuclear extracts by electrophoretic mobility shift assays. These results suggest that the biochemical functions of p53 are mediated by interaction between two endogenous protein products of the wild-type p53 gene.
Milkweed restoration in the Midwest for monarch butterfly recovery: estimates of milkweeds lost, milkweeds remaining and milkweeds that must be added to increase the monarch population

The loss of milkweeds in corn and soybean fields in the Midwest due to herbicide use has been implicated in the decline of the monarch butterfly population. In order to gauge the magnitude of the milkweed restoration effort necessary to compensate for this loss, it is necessary to know how many milkweeds have been lost and how many remain on the landscape. I estimate that since 1999, 850 million milkweeds have been lost from corn and soybean fields. In addition, since 2008, over 11 million milkweeds have been lost from grasslands due to their conversion into cropland, an annual loss rate of about 2 million milkweeds. Of the estimated 2.2 billion milkweeds present on the landscape in the Midwest in 1999, only 1.34 billion remained in 2014, a decline of almost 40%. But because each milkweed stem in an agricultural field averages 3.9 times more monarch eggs than a milkweed stem in non-agricultural habitats, the potential monarch support capacity loss has been 71%. A conservation goal of 6 ha of overwintering butterflies has been proposed. It is estimated that the current milkweed population could support about 3.2 ha under average weather conditions in the breeding season. A total of 425 million milkweeds would need to be added to increase the monarch support capacity by just one more overwintering hectare and 1.6 billion would be needed to meet the 6 ha conservation goal. Thus, a massive milkweed restoration effort will be needed to produce a resilient monarch population.
Portable, Low-cost, Lensless DHM System Using RGB LEDs

We built a portable, low-cost, and lensless DHM with RGB LEDs to obtain holograms. We also developed a GUI to digitally reconstruct the holograms and to control the webcam and the microcontroller that drives the LEDs.
Simultaneous quantification of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-3-sulfate and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-3-glucuronide in human serum and plasma using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry coupled with DAPTAD-derivatization

25-hydroxyvitamin D3-3-sulfate (25-OHD3-S) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-3-glucuronide (25-OHD3-G) are major conjugative metabolites of vitamin D3 found in the systemic circulation and potentially important reservoirs for 25-hydroxyvitamin D3. Simultaneous and accurate quantification of these metabolites could advance assessment of the impact of vitamin D3 on health and disease. In this study, a highly sensitive and accurate liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for simultaneous quantification of 25-OHD3-S and 25-OHD3-G in human serum or plasma. Following protein precipitation, the analytes of interest were partially purified by solid-phase extraction and subjected to derivatization with 4-(4'-dimethylaminophenyl)-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione (DAPTAD). Quantification of the analytes was based on multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) operated in the positive ion mode, and deuterated internal standards were used for each conjugative metabolite. Applying this method to the analysis of 25-OHD3-S and 25-OHD3-G concentrations in human serum or plasma samples achieved satisfactory reproducibility, accuracy and sensitivity. We subsequently used this method to simultaneously determine serum concentrations of the two metabolites in archived samples from a rifampin treatment study. Drug treatment had no effect on metabolite concentrations, but significantly increased the 25-OHD3-S/25-OHD3 concentration ratio (p=0.01). The availability of this new method should improve sample throughput and our ability to quantify and monitor circulating 25-OHD3-S and 25-OHD3-G concentrations.
ПРОМЫШЛЕННЫЕ ОБЛАСТИ ПРИМЕНЕНИЯ КОРОТКОЦИКЛОВОЙ АДСОРБЦИИ ПРИ ПЕРЕМЕННОМ ДАВЛЕНИИ

Установки для некриогенного разделения газовых смесей находят широкое применение в различных отраслях промышленности. В них используются напорные (КЦА) и безнапорные (ВКЦА) схемы короткоцикловой адсорбции. В зависимости от исходной газовой смеси, получаемого продукта, чистоты, а также заданной производительности применяют конкретную схему установки и определенные конструктивные решения (число адсорберов, их размеры, форма, процедура управления ими и др.). Подробно рассмотрены схемы установок для получения чистых водорода (из водородсодержащих газов), азота или кислорода (из воздуха), СО, СО2 и восстановительных газов (смесь Н2 и СО). Приведена информация о некоторых установках «Linde AG», которых до настоящего времени выпущено более 500. Установки характеризуются низкими затратами, высокой надежностью, полной автоматизацией, блочностью исполнения и мн. др.
Distributed Active Learning for Image Recognition

Developing intelligent learning algorithms under the constraint of limited manual labor is a fundamental research challenge and a problem of immense practical importance. Active learning algorithms alleviate this problem by automatically identifying the salient and exemplar instances from large amounts of unlabeled data; this tremendously reduces the human annotation effort as only a small subset of the samples, identi ed by the algorithm, needs to be labeled manually. Further, the unprecedented increase in the volume of digital data has necessitated the usage of multiple, independent computers for its storage and processing, in a given application. The need of the hour is therefore an active learning framework which can operate in a distributed setup, where the unlabeled data is partitioned across multiple computers. In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm to address this important challenge. Our algorithm requires minimal communication among the computers (over which the data is stored) and also enjoys nice theoretical properties. Our extensive empirical studies on a variety of challenging, real-world vision datasets, from different application domains, corroborate the potential of the proposed framework.
Overexpression of Perilipin 2 Induces Cardiac Steatosis and Atrial Fibrillation via Connexin 43 Remodeling

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is prevalent among diabetic patients. Diabetes is also associated with myocardial lipid droplet accumulation (steatosis), which is thought to be a source of intracellular lipotoxicity. Since the relative contribution of cardiac steatosis per se to AF has not been elucidated, the current study was designed to clarify the causal effect of cardiac steatosis on AF using an aged mouse model of cardiac steatosis. Cardiac-specific perilipin (PLIN) 2-overexpressing mice (PLIN2-Tg) were created and maintained on a chow diet for >12 months. Cardiac steatosis was assessed by electron microscopy and triacylglycerol (TAG) content. AF was induced by transesophageal electrical burst pacing, and the duration of AF was measured. Atrial impulse conduction patterns were analyzed in Langendorff-perfused hearts using optical mapping technique. Myocardial localization of a gap junction protein, connexin (Cx) 43, was analyzed by confocal microscopy. Electron microscopy of the atrium of PLIN2-Tg revealed accumulation of small lipid droplets around clusters of mitochondria, and the atrial TAG content in PLIN2-Tg was 4- to 8-fold higher than that in wild type (Wt) atrium. Electrocardiograms showed significantly longer RR intervals in PLIN2-Tg compared to Wt mice. The prevalence of sustained (>5min) AF was significantly greater in PLIN2-Tg compared with Wt mice (69% vs. 24%). Confocal microscopy revealed that Cx43 was distributed at the intercalated discs in Wt atria, whereas it was heterogeneously redistributed to the lateral side of the cardiomyocytes in PLIN2-Tg atria. Isochrone mapping showed slow and heterogeneous impulse propagation in PLIN2-Tg atria compared with Wt atria. These results indicate that PLIN2-induced steatosis causes Cx43 remodeling, impaired conduction propagation, and a higher incidence of AF. Controlling cardiac steatosis might be an important target for inhibiting AF in patients with cardiac steatosis. Disclosure S. Sato: None. J. Suzuki: None. M. Hirose: None. T. Nakaya: None. M. Yamada: None. M. Ichikawa: None. M. Imagawa: None. Y. Zenimaru: None. S. Takahashi: None. F.B. Kraemer: None. T. Konoshita: None. T. Ishizuka: None.