cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Early Outcome Comparison of the Posterior Approach and the Superior Approach for Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty

Abstract Background The superior approach for total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a minimally invasive, tissue-sparing technique that may have clinical and economic benefits. The purpose of this study was to compare early outcomes between the posterior approach and the superior approach in primary THA. Our hypothesis was that the superior approach would have a noninferior length of stay (LOS), discharge destination, and blood loss compared with the posterior approach. Methods All primary THAs performed by a single surgeon at one institution were retrospectively reviewed over a 2-year period (2015-2017). There were 676 patients, 40.4% of whom underwent a posterior approach and 59.6% underwent a superior approach. LOS, discharge destination, blood loss, and operating room time were analyzed. Gender, body mass index, and American Society of Anesthesiologists status were recorded and controlled. Results The posterior approach was independently associated with an almost threefold higher risk of prolonged LOS (>2 days, P Conclusions The superior approach to THA was associated with a significantly shorter length of hospital stay and lower rate of discharge to rehab than the posterior approach. This approach can be used as a safe, minimally invasive, and tissue-sparing variation of a standard posterior approach for THA and has promising early outcomes.
The dimensions of prospective elementary and middle school teachers’ problem posing for integer addition and subtraction

Elementary and middle school prospective teachers participated in semi-structured problem posing for integer addition and subtraction. The prospective teachers (n = 98) posed a variety of different stories, but this paper focuses on the temperature stories they posed. Results include descriptions of their posed temperature stories through the lens of the various dimensions (i.e., problem types, realism, consistency, correctness). Prospective teachers posed mainly state-translation-state problem types and rarely posed state-state-distance, state-state-translation, or translation-translation-translation problem types. They often changed the structure of their number sentences. Although they posed mostly realistic and mathematically correct temperature stories, the stories compromised realism or consistency in order to use state-translation-state problem types. Coordinating of the various dimensions (e.g., problem types, consistency) when problem posing requires flexibility with problem types. This work highlights the complexity of posing temperature stories, and coordinating the various dimensions highlights the need for prospective teachers to experience problem posing. Implications for problem posing with integers and temperature are extended to all contexts that inherently support translation and relativity. In the discussion, we coordinate the different problem types with various number sentences and dimensions. Unpacking the various dimensions illuminates prospective teachers’ thinking and offers a way of considering integers and contexts.
Bullying: The Impact on Intention to Leave of Generational Members in the Acute Healthcare Setting

Background: Bullying is a well-documented issue for healthcare workers, and can have a significant impact on an institution in regards to employee retention. Retention of healthcare workers is an important concern, as turnover is costly to the healthcare system. The retention problem has become even more complex as managers have had to adopt individualized strategies to account for the multigenerational workforce. Intent to leave has been described in the literature to be an accurate predictor of actual turnover. This study explores the relationship between bullying experienced in the workplace and an individual’s intention to leave, stratified by generational cohorts. Methods: This study was approved by the IRB. A multi-institution electronic survey was conducted of registered nurses and respiratory therapists working in hospitals throughout central Ohio using the 22-item Negative Acts Questionnaire Revised (NAQ-R) and the Turnover Intention Scale (TIS-6). Results: Over 23% of respondents indicated they experienced bullying in the workplace. Respondents indicated they were exposed to unmanageable workloads, had their views and opinions ignored, and felt excluded in the workplace. Baby Boomers had the highest mean score on both the NAQ-R and TIS-6, indicating they experienced the most negative acts in the workplace and had the highest intention to leave of the three cohorts. Millennials had the lowest mean score on the NAQ-R, and the second highest score on the TIS-6. A Pearson Product moment correlation was used to examine relationships in sum scores between the TIS-6 and NAQ-R. Results indicate a somewhat low-moderate positive relationship between the two measures (r = 0.30; P
Evaluating Suicide Risk Using the Reasons for Dying-Reasons for Living (RFD-RFL) Index in a Military Psychiatric Inpatient Setting.

Abstract The present study aimed to explore reasons for dying (RFD) and reasons for living (RFL) among suicidal inpatients, conceptualize the RFD-RFL index, and examine whether suicide risk indicators were associated with the RFD-RFL index scores. Participants were military personnel (N = 167) psychiatrically hospitalized following a suicide-related crisis who provided baseline data as part of a randomized controlled trial. Family was the most commonly reported RFL (39.7%) and was the top ranked RFL for 65.9% of participants. The most frequently endorsed RFD categories included general descriptors of self (26.9%), general statements about escape (19.7%), and others/relationships (19.1%). Greater RFD-RFL index scores were associated with a greater wish to die relative to wish to live, greater hopelessness, and with a history of lifetime multiple suicide attempts. Endorsing more RFD relative to RFL may indicate heightened suicide risk. Results of this study identify the characteristics of RFD and RFL among a high-risk, military sample, and provide preliminary support for the clinical utility of evaluating the quantities of RFD and RFL. Clinicians are encouraged to explore RFD and RFL when working with suicidal patients. Future research may explore military-specific RFD and evaluate the validity of the proposed RFD-RFL index.
Testimony and Follow-Up Responses, United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Intellectual Property Hearing on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act at 22: How Other Countries Are Handling Online Piracy

This testimony was given to the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Intellectual Property as part of its Hearing on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act at 22: How Other Countries Are Handling Online Piracy. In it I first briefly describe the goals and trade-offs inherent in any intermediary liability law; then describe the DMCA’s place in the global landscape of intermediary liability laws; then discuss concerns about filtering proposals and the recently enacted Article 17 of the EU’s Digital Single Market (DSM) Directive. The document also includes follow-up responses to additional questions from Senators Tillis, Coons, and Blumenthal submitted on April 14, 2020.
Netter: Probabilistic, Stateful Network Models

We study the problem of using probabilistic network models to formally analyze their quantitative properties, such as the effect of different load-balancing strategies on the long-term traffic on a server farm. Compared to prior work, we explore a different design space in terms of tradeoffs between model expressiveness and analysis scalability, which we realize in a language we call Netter. Netter code is compiled to probabilistic automata, undergoing optimization passes to reduce the state space of the generated models, thus helping verification scale. We evaluate Netter on several case studies, including a probabilistic load balancer, a routing scheme reminiscent of MPLS, and a network defense mechanism against link-flooding attacks. Our results show that Netter can analyze quantitative properties of interesting routing schemes that prior work hadn’t addressed, for networks of small size (4–9 nodes and a few different types of flows). Moreover, when specialized to simpler, stateless networks, Netter can parallel the performance of previous state-of-the-art tools, scaling up to millions of nodes.
Gradient changes in bioprosthetic valve thrombosis: duration of anticoagulation and strategies to improve detection.

Objective Bioprosthetic valve thrombosis (BPVT) is increasingly recognised as a major cause of prosthetic dysfunction in the first years postimplantation. How early abnormal gradients can be detected prior to diagnosis and how fast they normalise with anticoagulant therapy is unknown. We set forth to (1) evaluate patterns of increase in gradients prior to BPVT diagnosis and (2) characterise time-course of response to anticoagulation. Methods Patients treated with warfarin for BPVT (1999–2019) with clinically significant reduction of mean gradients (≥25%) were identified retrospectively. Recovery was defined as gradient decrease ≥50%, to postimplantation or to normal-range gradients per position, model and size. Time-to-BPVT (implantation—BPVT diagnosis), potential diagnostic delay (first abnormal gradient by position, model and size—BPVT diagnosis) and time-to-recovery (BPVT diagnosis—complete resolution) were recorded. Results 77 patients were identified; 32 (42%) aortic (23 surgical—12 porcine, 11 pericardial; 9 transcatheter); 24 (31%) mitral; 21 (27%) tricuspid. Median time-to-BPVT was 24, 21 and 10 months, respectively. Potential diagnostic delay was median 21 months for aortic, 4 months for mitral, but 0 for tricuspid. Recovery was significantly faster in mitral than aortic (median 2.5 vs 4.8 months, p=0.038) and tricuspid (median 5.9 months, p=0.025) positions. Porcine aortic valves responded faster than pericardial aortic valves (median 2.9 vs 20.3 months, p=0.004). Conclusion Gradients start to increase months before the clinical BPVT diagnosis. Recovery is faster in mitral and surgical aortic porcine valves; a longer warfarin trial seems indicated in tricuspid and surgical aortic pericardial valves.
Working with teachers on culturally affirming instruction in Guatemala

This study examines 96 Guatemalan teachers’ perspectives on the viability of educational mandates from Guatemala’s Ministry of Education and explores their perceived ability to advocate in the scho...
From Grid to Gridlock: The Relationship between Scientific Biomedical Breakthroughs and HIV/AIDS Policy in the U.S. Congress

Background: From the travel ban on people living with HIV/AIDS to resistance to needle exchange programs there are many examples where the policy response to HIV/AIDS in the United States seems divorced from scientific evidence. This paper examines the broader relationship between biomedical science and congressional policy from 1981 to 2010. Methods: This study used original data on every bill introduced, hearing held, and law passed by the U.S. Congress relating to HIV/AIDS over thirty years (1981-2010). We combined the congressional data with lists of the most cited and most influential published articles in biomedical research over the same time period. The correlations between congressional policy and biomedical research were then analyzed at the aggregate and individual levels.Results: Biomedical research helped shape both the level and content of bill sponsorship on HIV/AIDS, but it had no effect on other stages of the legislative process. A closer examination of the content of bills and biomedical research indicated that the science helped transform HIV/AIDS bill sponsorship from the niche concerns of liberal Democrats to a bipartisan coalition. The tradeoff for that expansion has been an emphasis on the global epidemic to the detriment of domestic policies and programs.Conclusion: Breakthroughs in biomedical science have largely been ignored by Congress. When science matters it cannot be separated from political considerations. Congress pays attention to biomedical research only to the extent that the research furthers some political advantage.
Contemporary Ergonomics 2004

Military Ergonomics. Information Presentation and Recognition. Design Methods. Design Methods - Examples. Computer Assisted Tasks. Auditory Warnings. Health and Safety. Ergonomics in the Energy Industry. Human Error and Process Safety. Memory and Cognition. VDUs in Process Control. Manual Handling and Posture. Sport Ergonomics. Physiological Stress. Sitting, Standing, and Workplace. Drivers and Driving. Telecommunications. Poster Presentations. Keynote Address.
Continued Development of the Role of Teaching Assistants in Mount Sinai's “Structures” Course

The Structures course at Mount Sinai is a combination of three courses taken by first year medical students: Anatomy, Histology, and Embryology. Functioning as a single unit, this course allows int...
Stabilizing causal deterministic merge

In this paper, we focus on causal deterministic merge -- that combines causal delivery and uniform total order -- in semi-synchronous publish-subscribe systems that provide simple guarantees related to clock values and message delays. We consider two properties of the timestamps used to obtain causal deterministic merge: (1) they should be bounded, i.e., for a given system, the maximum size of the timestamp should be independent of the length of the computation, and (2) they should be scalar, i.e., the time required to compare/update timestamps should be independent of the size of the system. By making certain assumptions about how the timestamps are compared, we show that it is impossible to obtain a solution that uses scalar and bounded timestamps. Hence, we focus on solutions that achieve one of these properties. We present two solutions where the size of the timestamps is bounded; the size of the timestamps in the first solution is logarithmic in the number of processes whereas in the second solution, it is linear in the number of processes. We also present a solution where the timestamp consists of O(1) integers that can grow unbounded; we further show that the timestamps in this solution can be bounded if the application provides a simple guarantee about event creation. Each of these solutions is stabilizing fault-tolerant in that even if the system is perturbed by faults that improperly initialize processes, lose/corrupt messages and temporarily violate system guarantees, the system recovers to states from where subsequent computation satisfies the requirements of causal deterministic merge. Our solutions improve previously known solutions in several ways: In previous solutions, the timestamps consist of O(n2) unbounded integers where n is the number of processes. By contrast, one of our solutions uses O(1) unbounded integers and the remaining three solutions use bounded integers.
A Flexible Solver for Finite Arithmetic Circuits

Arithmetic circuits arise in the context of weighted logic programming languages, such as Datalog with aggregation, or Dyna. A weighted logic program defines a generalized arithmetic circuit—the weighted version of a proof forest, with nodes having arbitrary rather than boolean values. In this paper, we focus on finite circuits. We present a flexible algorithm for efficiently querying node values as they change under updates to the circuit's inputs. Unlike traditional algorithms, ours is agnostic about which nodes are tabled (materialized), and can vary smoothly between the traditional strategies of forward and backward chaining. Our algorithm is designed to admit future generalizations, including cyclic and infinite circuits and propagation of delta updates.
Common variable immunodeficiency in children: Clinical and immunological features of patients diagnosed before the age of 13

Abstract Rationale Common Variable Immunodeficiency is a primary immunodeficiency that is typically diagnosed in the third decade characterized by hypogammaglobulinemia and recurrent infections. A subset is diagnosed in childhood and their clinical and immunologic features are unknown. Methods Patients were identified who were diagnosed with CVID prior to age 13. All had a decrease in serum IgG and IgA and/or IgM greater than 2 standard deviations from the mean. Antibody deficiency was documented in most. Data was analyzed using the unpaired t-test. Results From 1973 until 2003, 300 patients with CVID were identified. Fifty were diagnosed prior to 13 years (6 months to 13 years). For those diagnosed under age 2, continued hypogammaglobulinemia and antibody deficiency were verified. The median age at diagnosis was 7 years; 25 were female. Median immunoglobulins at diagnosis; IgG 210 (range 8-493); IgA 0 (0-110); IgM 23 (0-400). Common conditions at diagnosis were pneumonia (53%) and sinusitis (17%). After diagnosis bronchiectasis (21%), arthritis (19%), granulomatous disease (13%) and malabsorption or colitis (11%) developed. Nine of the 50 (18%) have died; five of chronic lung disease. IgG level at diagnosis was lower for these patients (p=0.034). Eight patients had the diagnosis revised: three resolved, two had Hyper IgM syndrome; and one XLA. Two sisters with no B cells may have autosomal agammaglobulinemia. Conclusions Patients with Common Variable Immunodeficiency are often diagnosed before the age of 13 after recurrent infections. Outcome for this group varies, but mortality is high. These children may have revision of diagnosis over time as molecular techniques evolve.
ADHESION IN THE SPACE ENVIRONMENT

Abstract : The report presents a comprehensive literature survey of adhesion bonding (cold welding) in the space environment. Space characteristics are summarized and experimental methods for reproducing these conditions are investigated. Information is particularly directed towards electronics and the metals used for electrical contacts. A total of 124 references are cited along with a selected bibliography of 44 citations.
Restructuring in the Toyota keiretsu during the Asian financial crash

Purpose – The economic downturn in Japan in the 1990s and the Asian economic crash of 1997 led to widespread restructuring of corporate organizations in Japan. This paper aims to use ethnographic fieldwork, in‐depth interviews and historical documents to examine how this played out inside one company, Toyota, when management implemented a restructuring plan to improve the profitability of one of its group companies during the period of 1996 to 1999. It also aims to discuss the restructuring policies within the framework of how Toyota responded to the economic crisis during a time of deregulation and liberal market reforms resulting from the decade of economic malaise that began in the early 1990s. A hallmark of the current debate on analyzing Japanese organizations is to what extent Japan is converging on the American model of capitalism.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on fieldwork drawn from three years as a participant observer where the author worked as a production engineer together w...
The Self in the Social Construction of Organizational Reality: Eastern and Western Views

This article sheds light on the importance of understanding the self within social and cultural contexts. The self is the most important intervening factor to come between phenomenal objects (other peo ple, roles, and external things) and an individuals own behavior and action. I ask questions about the individual and his or her role in the social construction process, by comparing Eastern and Western ideas about the concept of self. The most important commonality between Eastern and Western thought is an emphasis on constructing the self in relationship with others and exploring the dialectical relationships between self, culture, organization, and society. If our understanding of organizational reality fails to grapple with the dynamic nature of the self, organizations will remain more of a management's interest in explaining and controlling human behavior than in understanding human experience and action. The social construction of public administration must include a clear consideration of the nature of the individual within social and cultural contexts. From a positivist (functionalist) perspective, an organization is seen as an assembly of autonomous individuals working together for economic gain. Roles and tasks are assigned to ensure that individuals will meet organizational goals. Individuals are supposed to sacrifice their autonomy for organizational needs, and the self is reduced to the person's role in the organization structure. Alternatively, social con structionists see the self and identity being created and sustained through our social, historical, cultural, and temporal relationships. From this perspective individual identity is not determined by our role in soci ety, but is an ongoing process in which we shape ourselves and others within the various contexts and relations in which we find ourselves. While some argue that this conception of the self leads to ethical rela tivism, others, such as George Herbert Mead and Alfred Schutz, have
Allegiance Bias and Therapist Effects: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Binge Eating Disorder

“Allegiance bias” has been hypothesized to compromise the findings of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). In contrast, our multi-site RCT involving the collaboration of investigators with different allegiances regarding interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), guided self-help cognitive behavior therapy (CBTgsh), and behavioral weight loss therapy (BWL) for binge eating disorder showed no evidence of any differential site × treatment effects. The findings indicate that “allegiance bias” does not necessarily occur in well-controlled RCTS with appropriate therapist training. We also examined the role of individual therapist differences that have been alleged to be more important than treatment effects. No individual therapist effects emerged on any measure in either IPT or CBTgsh, both of which were significantly more effective than BWL at two-year follow-up.
Effect of Patient Navigator Program on No-Show Rates at an Academic Referral Colposcopy Clinic

Abstract Background: Patient navigators have been used successfully to guide vulnerable patients through barriers to cancer care and reduce disparities in cancer outcomes. This study evaluated the effect of a patient navigator program on no-show rates at a tertiary care referral colposcopy center and explored factors associated with missed appointments. Methods: No-show rates prior and subsequent to implementation of the intervention were compared by chi-square test. We compared patient demographic, lifestyle, and diagnostic characteristics between patients who had ever and never missed appointments. We described patient-reported barriers to care. Results: Of 4,199 women evaluated in our clinic from January 2006 to December 2013, 2,441 (58%) had at least one missed appointment. African American, Hispanic, and publicly insured women tended to miss appointments more frequently than did white and privately insured women (p<0.0001). Patients who missed appointments tended to have more abnormal cytology (p<0.0...
Localization of Kv1.1 and Kv1.2, two K channel proteins, to synaptic terminals, somata, and dendrites in the mouse brain.

Multiple voltage-gated potassium (K) channel gene products are likely to be involved in regulating neuronal excitability of any single neuron in the mammalian brain. Here we show that two closely related voltage- gated K channel proteins, mKv1.1 and mKv1.2, are present in multiple subcellular locations including cell somata, juxta-paranodal regions of myelinated axons, synaptic terminals, unmyelinated axons, specialized junctions among axons, and proximal dendrites. Staining patterns of the two channel polypeptides overlap in some areas of the brain, yet each has a unique pattern of expression. For example, in the hippocampus, both mKv1.1 and mKv1.2 proteins are present in axons, often near or at synaptic terminals in the middle molecular layer of the dentate gyrus, while only mKv1.1 is detected in axons and synaptic terminals in the hilar/CA3 region. In the cerebellum, both channel proteins are localized to axon terminals and specialized junctions among axons in the plexus region of basket cells. Strong differential staining is observed in the olfactory bulb, where mKv1.2 is localized to cell somata and axons, as well as to proximal dendrites of the mitral cells. This overlapping yet differential pattern of expression and specific subcellular localization may contribute to the unique profile of excitability displayed by a particular neuron.
Optimizing the Reliability of Speech Recognition Scores

Speech recognition assessment involves a dilemma because clinicians want a test that is short and reliable, but statistical principles dictate that a short test is unreliable. Curves representing the variability of test scores based on the binomial model reveal that approximately 450 scorable items are needed in order to optimize the reliability of a speech recognition test. A testing approach was developed to achieve this sample size while retaining the principal features of the most commonly accepted speech recognition tests (i.e., monosyllabic words presented in an open-set format, verbal responses, and right/wrong scoring). It involves the use of an interactive computer program to present CNC words in 50 three-word groups, which are scored phonemically, resulting in 450 scorable items. Normal performance is described as a function of both presentation level and signal-to-noise ratio. Comparisons of test and retest scores for 100 individuals with normal hearing and 100 persons with sensorineural losses revealed that the approach achieves the degree of reliability predicted by the binomial model for both groups. Phoneme scores accounted for 99% of the variance of word scores for most of the performance range encountered in clinical practice, making it possible for test outcomes based on phonemic scoring to be expressed in terms of equivalent word recognition scores.
Comparison of the effects of a potent synthetic analog of bovine parathyroid hormone with native bPTH-(1-84) and synthetic bPTH-(1-34) on bone resorption and collagen synthesis.

An analog of bovine PTH [nle-8, nle-18, tyr-34 bPTH-(1-34) amide, (PTH-Ana)] which is a potent stimulator of renal adenylate cyclase has been compared with the native hormone bPTH-(1-84) and the biologically active amino terminal portion, bPTH-(1-34), for its effects on bone resorption and bone collagen synthesis in organ culture. All three compounds stimulated the release of previously incorporated45Ca from cultured fetal rat long bone shafts with similar dose-response curves at 10−9 to 3 × 10−8 M. All three compounds inhibited bone collagen synthesis as measured by incorporation of proline into collagenase digestible protein, whereas incorporation into noncollagen protein was not inhibited. The effects were dose related and decreases in percent collagen synthesis were significant at 10−9 M. Thus PTH-Ana appears to have the same effects on bone resorption and collagen synthesis as bPTH-(1-84) and (1-34) and is likely to be a valid probe for investigating PTH receptors in bone as well as in kidney.
Drip irrigation water distribution patterns: effects of emitter rate, pulsing, and antecedent water.

Drip irrigation is more effective and less expensive if a large amount of soil can be wetted with each emitter without losing water or nutrients below the root zone. The distance that water spreads horizontally from a drip line and the volume of soil wetted are limiting factors that determine the spacing and number of drip lines and emitters, the frequency of irrigation, and thus the cost of irrigation. We used numerical simulations and field trials to investigate the effects of application rate, pulsed water application, and antecedent water content on the spreading of water from drip emitters. Simulation results showed that pulsing and lower application rates produced minor increases in horizontal spreading at the end of water application. The small increases were primarily due to longer irrigation times, however, and not to flow phenomena associated with pulsing or low application rates. Moreover, the small increases mostly disappeared after the infiltrated water had redistributed for a period of 24 h. Field trials confirmed the simulation findings, with no statistically significant difference in wetting being found among five water application treatments involving pulsed applications and varying application rates. The simulations showed that higher antecedent water content increases water spreading from drip irrigation systems, but the increases were greater in the vertical direction than in the horizontal, an undesirable outcome if crop roots are shallow or groundwater contamination is a concern. Overall, soil texture (hydraulic properties) and antecedent water content largely determine the spreading and distribution of a given water application, with pulsing and flow rate having very little impact.
Recent development and future prospects of optical metro networks and their technologies

This paper describes the broadband situation in Japan and the recent development of optical metro networks, their future prospects and technologies. First, the situation as regards the broadband infrastructure and internet traffic in Japan is overviewed. Then, the recent development of reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexers (ROADMs) in optical metro networks is reviewed. Finally, the future prospects for optical metro networks are described with particular emphasis on 100Gbit/s standardization, sub-λ function, and colorless/directionless ROADMs.
Volume and Surface Area for Polyhedra and Polytopes

When the curious calculus student first realizes the relationship between the area and circumference of the circle, dA/dr = C, and the similar relationship between the volume and surface area of the sphere, dV/dr = A, the question arises: "Is this always the case?" We show that, indeed, such a relation exists in all dimensions for (convex) regular polytopes when the derivative is taken with respect to the inner radius, i.e., the (minimal) distance from the center to the boundary. With some modification, a similar relation holds for all polytopes. This approach leads to a related, turn-of-thecentury result due to Minkowski.
Decreased beta‐adrenergic responsiveness following hypertrophy occurs only in cardiomyocytes that also re‐express beta‐myosin heavy chain

Aims Cardiac hypertrophy is associated with a reduction in the contractile response to beta-adrenergic stimulation, and with re-expression of foetal genes such as beta-myosin heavy chain (MHC). However, whether these two markers of pathology develop concordantly in the same individual cells or independently in different cells is not known. Methods and results To answer this question, we examined the beta-adrenergic response of individual beta-MHC expressing and non-expressing myocytes from hypertrophic hearts, using a previously generated mouse model (YFP/beta-MHC) in which a yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) is fused to the native beta-MHC protein allowing easy identification of beta-MHC expressing cells. Yellow fluorescent protein/beta-MHC mice were submitted to 4 weeks of transverse aortic constriction (TAC), and the contractile parameters of isolated individual myocytes in response to the beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol were assessed. Our results demonstrate that the decrease in isoproterenol-induced cell shortening that develops in TAC hearts occurs only in those hypertrophic myocytes that re-express beta-MHC. Hypertrophic myocytes that do not express beta-MHC have contractility indices indistinguishable from non-TAC controls. Conclusion These data show that the reduction of beta-adrenergic response occurs only in subsets, rather than in all myocytes, and is coincident with re-expression of beta-MHC.
Xenotransmission of the socioeconomic gradient in health? A population based study

The presence of a socioeconomic gradient in health has been documented extensively in humans. 1 2 Social hierarchy has also been found to be associated with the health of non-human species, as in a study of macaques, in which development of coronary artery occlusion was associated with social hierarchy.3 However, to our knowledge, transmission of the social gradient in health across species has never been reported. We investigated whether the socioeconomic gradient in health could be transmitted from humans to their pets. The present research was part of a larger study on depression and suicidal behaviours among adolescents. In this study, cross sectional data were collected annually between 1986 and 1988 from school students in a single, socioeconomically diverse, suburban district in the southeastern United States. Students completed a self administered questionnaire, which …
An Internationalization Competency Checklist for American Counseling Training Programs

Through a mixed method design the researchers sought to develop an internationalization competency checklist that U.S. counseling training programs could use as a pragmatic guide in their efforts to internationalize their curriculum and training environments. Based on a six-domain framework and using content analytic method, 70 potential internationalization competency items were generated. The items were further validated by 66 counseling professionals in the field who were knowledgeable about counseling training and have experience with international activities, resulting in 43 items with 60% or more positive endorsement. These 43 items were selected to form an International Competency Checklist. Practice and research implications of the study’s findings are discussed.
Influence of Medium Exchange Schedules on Metabolic, Growth, and GM‐CSF Secretion Rates of Genetically Engineered NIH‐3T3 Cells

The metabolic and secretory characteristics of NIH-3T3 fibroblasts transfected with a cDNA encoding human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were examined as a function of the culture medium exchange schedule. The rates of glucose and glutamine consumption and of lactate and ammonia production were measured over exchange schedules ranging from complete medium replacement weekly (1/week) to complete medium replacement daily (7/week). All measured metabolic rates increased with increased medium exchange rates and accelerated sharply between exchange rates of 3.5/week and 7/week. The lactate/glucose and ammonia/glutamine yield coefficients, however, remained invariant at about 1.9 and 1.0 mol/mol, respectively, under all medium perfusion conditions. A shift-up in medium perfusion rates from 3.5/week to 7/week resulted in increased metabolic rates that resembled those observed in the cultures that were exchanged at the 7/week rate throughout, showing that the metabolic rates could be directly controlled by the perfusion rate. Differential regulation of medium versus serum perfusion demonstrated that increased NIH-3T3 cell metabolism was directly proportional to the serum flux to which the cells were exposed. Thus a limiting serum component is responsible for the altered metabolic and growth rates. The GM-CSF production by the transfected 3T3 cells was stable but exhibited substantial transient increases during periods of cell proliferation, demonstrating that the secretion of transfected gene products can be highly modulated even when the cDNA is driven from a constitutive promoter. These studies show that the metabolic and secretory behavior of genetically engineered cells is influenced by the medium exchange schedule.
Cleavage and recognition pattern of a double-strand-specific endonuclease (I-CreI) encoded by the chloroplast 23S rRNA intron of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Abstract Several group-I introns have been shown to specifically invade intron-minus alleles of the genes that contain them. This type of intron mobility is referred to as ‘intron homing’, and depends on restriction endonucleases (ENases) encoded by the mobile introns. The ENase cleaves the intron-minus allele near the site of intron insertion, thereby initiating gene conversion. The 23S (LSU) rRNA-encoding gene ( LSU ) of the chloroplast genome of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii contains a self-splicing group-I intron (CrLSU) that has a free-standing open reading frame (ORF) of 163 codons. Translation of CrLSU intron RNA in cell-free systems produces a polypeptide of approx. 18 kDa, the size expected for correct translation of the ORF. The in vitro-synthesized 18-kDa protein cleaves plasmid DNA that contains a portion of LSU where the intron normally resides, but lacking the intron itself. Cleavage by the intron-encoded enzyme (I- Cre I) occurs 5 bp and 1 bp 3' to the intron insertion site (in the 3'-exon) in the top (/) and bottom (,) strands, respectively, resulting in 4-nt single-stranded overhangs with 3'-OH termini. We also show that the recognition sequence of I- Cre I spans the cleavage site and is 24 bp in length (5'-CAAAACGTC,GTGA/GACAGTTTGGT).
TASKS AND COMMUNICATING IN LANGUAGE CLASSROOMS. James F. Lee . New York: McGraw-Hill, 2000. Pp. xviii + 162. $46.88 paper.

This book presents a task-based instructional framework for communicative language teaching. The first seven chapters focus on task-based instruction, and the remaining two chapters deal with assessment. Each chapter begins with a brief review, goes on to the topic of discussion, and ends with a summary. Two sections follow each chapter. In “Gaining Greater Perspectives,” Lee recommends further readings for in-depth reflection of the topic of the chapter. The “Application Activities” section contains a number of exercises to put into practice the concepts discussed in the chapter.
Nonlinear Optics at Ultra Low Power in a High-Finesse Optical Cavity with Metastable Xenon

We propose metastable xenon gas as a medium for realizing room temperature nonlinear optics experiments in cavity QED. We demonstrate the viability of this scheme by saturating the 6s[3/2]2 to 6p[3/2]2 transition with nanowatt powers.
Vascular disease, matrix abnormalities, and neuropathy: implications for limb salvage in diabetes mellitus.

bearing is essential until healing is certain. It is tragic to see a patient with a marvelous initial surgical result lose the extremity because of premature weight bearing. Modifications of footwear and appliances are prescribed as needed to keep sensitive high-risk areas healed and pressure free. Physicians must not hesitate to seek more experienced consultation when their treatment is not working. Treating serious limb-threatening infections is not recommended for the uninterested physician who sees only an occasional diabetic foot infection. Of all the complications the diabetic suffers it is a major amputation they fear the most.
Source-to-receptor pathways of anthropogenic PM2.5 in Detroit, Michigan: Comparison of two inhalation exposure studies

Abstract Recent studies have attributed toxic effects of ambient fine particulate matter (aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm; PM 2.5 ) to physical and/or chemical properties rather than total mass. However, identifying specific components or sources of a complex mixture of ambient PM 2.5 that are responsible for adverse health effects is still challenging. In order to improve our understanding of source-to-receptor pathways for ambient PM 2.5 (links between sources of ambient PM 2.5 and measures of biologically relevant dose), integrated inhalation toxicology studies using animal models and concentrated air particles (CAPs) were completed in southwest Detroit, a community where the pediatric asthma rate is more than twice the national average. Ambient PM 2.5 was concentrated with a Harvard fine particle concentrator housed in AirCARE1, a mobile air research laboratory which facilitates inhalation exposure studies in real-world settings. Detailed characterizations of ambient PM 2.5 and CAPs, identification of major emission sources of PM 2.5 , and quantification of trace elements in the lung tissues of laboratory rats that were exposed to CAPs for two distinct 3-day exposure periods were completed. This paper describes the physical/chemical properties and sources of PM 2.5 , pulmonary metal concentrations and meteorology from two different 3-day exposure periods—both conducted at the southwest Detroit location in July 2003—which resulted in disparate biological effects. More specifically, during one of the exposure periods, ambient PM 2.5 -derived trace metals were recovered from lung tissues of CAPs-exposed animals, and these metals were linked to local combustion point sources in southwest Detroit via receptor modeling and meteorology; whereas in the other exposure period, no such trace metals were observed. By comparing these two disparate results, this investigation was able to define possible links between PM 2.5 emitted from refineries and incinerators and biologically relevant dose, which in turn may be associated with observed health effects.
Periportal tracking in pediatric blunt abdominal trauma correlation with liver enzymes and liver injury

Abstract This is a retrospective study of the computed tomography (CT) examinations and medical records of 243 consecutive pediatric patients sent for CT studies after blunt abdominal trauma. The purpose of the study was to determine the frequency and significance of periportal tracking identified by CT, and correlate this finding with liver enzyme levels and liver injury. Periportal tracking (PPT) was divided into four grades (0–3) depending upon the distribution of decreased attenuation adjacent to the portal vessels. Circumferential PPT extending to the periphery of the liver (grade 3) was found in 20/243 children. They had a higher incidence of liver parenchymal injury seen on CT 20% versus 0.5% in combined PPT grades 0–2. Sixteen children with grade 3 PPT and no liver injury had significantly elevated liver enzymes as compared to children with combined 0–2 grade PPT. Eleven of the 20 children with grade 3 PPT had no other CT evidence of intraabdominal injury and none of these patients developed intraabdominal hemorrhage. Thus, grade 3 periportal tracking as an isolated abnormalitydid not indicate a clinically significant liver injury in any patient.
Are carboxyl groups the most acidic sites in amino acids? Gas-phase acidities, photoelectron spectra, and computations on tyrosine, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, and their conjugate bases.

Deprotonation of tyrosine in the gas phase was found to occur preferentially at the phenolic site, and the conjugate base consists of a 70:30 mixture of phenoxide and carboxylate anions at equilibrium. This result was established by developing a chemical probe for differentiating these two isomers, and the presence of both ions was confirmed by photoelectron spectroscopy. Equilibrium acidity measurements on tyrosine indicated that ∆Gacid ° ) 332.5 ( 1.5 kcal mol -1 and ∆Hacid ) 340.7 ( 1.5 kcal mol -1 . Photoelectron spectra yielded adiabatic electron detachment energies of 2.70 ( 0.05 and 3.55 ( 0.10 eV for the phenoxide and carboxylate anions, respectively. The H/D exchange behavior of deprotonated tyrosine was examined using three different alcohols (CF3CH2OD, C6H5CH2OD, and CH3CH2OD), and incorporation of up to three deuterium atoms was observed. Two pathways are proposed to account for these results, and all of the experimental findings are supplemented with B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ and G3B3 calculations. In addition, it was found that electrospray ionization of tyrosine from a 3:1 (v/v) CH3OH/H2O solution using a commercial source produces a deprotonated (M - H) - anion with the gas-phase equilibrium composition rather than the structure of the ion that exists in aqueous media. Electrospray ionization from acetonitrile, however, leads largely to the liquid-phase (carboxylate) structure. A control molecule, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, was found to behave in a similar manner. Thus, the electrospray conditions that are employed for the analysis of a compound can alter the isomeric composition of the resulting anion.
Scripts, plans, goals and understanding: an inquiry into human knowledge structures

For both people and machines, each in their own way, there is a serious problem in common of making sense out of what they hear, see, or are told about the world. The conceptual apparatus necessary to perform even a partial feat of understanding is formidable and fascinating. Our analysis of this apparatus is what this book is about. Roger C. Schank and Robert P. Abelson from the Introduction (http://www.psypress.com/scripts-plans-goals-and-understanding-9780898591385)
Special article: Polio: Its history and its eradication ☆

Abstract Poliomyelitis has a long history, dating back at least to the Egyptian eighteenth dynasty (1580-1350 BC ). In 1835, the first account of an outbreak of the disease was described by John Badham, and in 1840, Jacob von Heine, a German orthopedist, provided the first description indicating the spinal cord as the primary site of the paralytic form of the disease. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, numerous epidemics began to occur with increasing frequency and severity. Many of these epidemics were accompanied by hysterical reactions. Because the paralyzed patients experienced respiratory compromise, artificial breathing support was needed. One of the devices most effectively used to manage the breathing for paralytic polio patients was the iron lung. In 1949, John Enders, Thomas Weller, and Frederick Robbins showed that poliovirus caused visible damage to primate cells derived from tissues other than those of the nervous system. This technology ultimately provided the means for producing large quantities of standardized poliovirus for the production of the killed vaccine (Salk vaccine, inactivated polio vaccine) and, eventually, the live poliovirus vaccines (Sabin vaccine, oral polio vaccine). The last case of wild strain poliomyelitis in the United States occurred in 1979. In 1998, the national vaccine advisory bodies responsible for recommending immunization began advocating the use of the enhanced inactivated polio vaccine as an alternative to the oral vaccine. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company
Assessing unrecorded organic pollution from agricultural, urban, and wooded lands

Abstract An investigation was conducted of the organic pollution for seven small New Jersey watersheds representing agricultural, urban, and wooded lands. The 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) was used as a main index of organic pollution. Data obtained for a 2·5 yr period indicate background BOD concentrations averaging from 0·5 to 2·0 mg l −1 in all streams, except that a value of 9·0 mg l −1 was obtained for a residential-commercial-industrial area. During or after rainstorms, the BOD loadings, in pounds per day per unit area, averagely became more than ten times as the background amount for all streams. No significant correlation was found between BOD concentration and flow rate, but good correlations were obtained between BOD loadings and flows. The seasonal pattern of BOD loading distribution was examined. Also the frequency distribution of BOD concentrations and loadings were obtained.
Band structure changes of single-wall carbon nanotubes by the presence of an ionic shell

Abstract We report the change of the band structure of two types of carbon nanotubes due to the presence of an isolated, non-conducting, uniformly charged shell held at a fixed distance above their surfaces. We find that, depending on the chirality of the nanotube, the strain on the lattice causes the dispersion relationships to change. This change can result in a modification of the band structure which can induce a metal--semiconductor transition. We consider these effects as a mechanism for heavy-metal ion sensing by functionalized carbon nanotubes.