cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Non-invasive echocardiographic studies in mice: Influence of anesthetic regimen

Transgenic murine models of cardiovascular disease offer great potential insights regarding mechanisms of human disease, but efficient and reliable methods for phenotype evaluation are necessary. We employed non-invasive echocardiography to evaluate hemodynamic parameters in mice, and evaluated statistical reliability of these parameters with respect to anesthesia regimen. Male CF-1 mice received inhaled halothane (0.25-0.75% in 95% O2) or ketamine/xylazine (80/10 mg/kg i.p.) and 2-dimensional, M-mode, and Doppler ultrasound imaging were used to assess cardiac contractility and aortic flow velocities. Halothane was more convenient and reliable with respect to rate of induction, reversal, and control of anesthetic depth. At comparable levels of anesthesia, ketamine/xylazine produced significant reductions in heart rate (308 +/- 14 vs. 501 +/- 14 bpm, p<0.001), left ventricular fractional shortening (41.7 +/- 1.3 vs. 49.3 +/- 1.0%, p<0.001), and cardiac output (7.6 +/- 0.5 vs. 11.5 +/- 0.6 ml/min, p<0.001) when compared to halothane inhalation. No change in stroke volume or peak aortic velocity was observed. Correlation analyses revealed highly significant positive relationships between heart rate and fractional shortening (r=0.61, p<0.002) and cardiac output (r=0.88, p<0.001) but no relation to stroke volume or aortic velocity. Variability of intra-animal and intragroup parameter estimation were frequently 2-fold larger for ketamine/xylazine anesthesia vs. halothane. Statistical power analysis showed the increased measurement error for ketamine/xylazine leads to much larger numbers of mice/group to achieve identical statistical sensitivity. These data further illustrate the feasibility of echocardiography for rapid, non-invasive cardiovascular assessment in mice. However, several obtainable parameters are highly sensitive to both heart rate and anesthetic used and the choice and control of anesthetic are critical for physiologically relevant performance parameters and maximal ability to detect statistical differences among groups. Thus, for these non-invasive studies, inhalation anesthesia with agents such as halothane is superior to anesthesia induced by ketamine/xylazine administration.
Physician Perceptions of Patient Health: A Comparative Analysis between Urologist and Hospitalist Perceptions of Need for Inpatient Hospitalist Comanagement Following Radical Cystectomy.

Background/aims The morbidity of radical cystectomy remains high. A multidisciplinary approach utilizing hospitalist comanagement may improve outcomes. It is unclear what factors should be considered to determine which patients might benefit from this approach. We sought to determine if there are differences between the perceived need for co-management between urologists and hospitalists. Preoperative variables were analyzed to determine which factors might be associated with need for comanagement. Methods A case-based survey was emailed to urologists and hospitalists at 3 academic institutions to investigate perceptions regarding need for inpatient medical comanagement of fictitious patients following cystectomy. Decisions were rated based on patient comorbidities, age, race, sex, cancer stage, neoadjuvant therapy, alcohol intake, performance status, and English literacy. A Wilcoxon rank sum test assessed each question for differences. A Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test was used to assess whether the proportion of respondents who advocated for comanagement increased as Charlson comorbidity score increased. Results The most significant determinant of need for postoperative comanagement was patients' comorbidities. Urologists and hospitalists did not differ significantly in beliefs regarding need for comanagement. Conclusion The most important determining factor for comanagement was presence of comorbidities. Further studies are needed to evaluate the impact of this multidisciplinary approach.
A rare CALR variant mutation and a review of CALR in essential thrombocythemia.

Essential thrombocythemia (ET) is an indolent myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by megakaryocyte hyperplasia, thrombocytosis, thrombotic and hemorrhagic complications, and potential transformation into myelofibrosis and acute myeloid leukemia. The vast majority of cases are driven by a somatic mutation in JAK2, CALR, or MPL. CALR, a gene that codes for the calcium-binding chaperone calreticulin, is the predominant mutation in patients with non-mutated JAK2 essential thrombocythemia, accounting for 20–25% of the overall somatic mutation frequency in ET. In this brief review of ET, we introduce a rare CALR mutation through a case presentation of a 58-year-old man with diffuse pulmonary emboli in the setting of thrombocytosis. We subsequently characterize the main types of CALR mutations and their value in diagnosis and prognosis of disease course, and lastly discuss the current clinical approach to ET.
A Thermodynamic Model for Redox-Dependent Binding of Carbon Monoxide at Site-Differentiated, High Spin Iron Clusters

Binding of N2 and CO by the FeMo-cofactor of nitrogenase depends on the redox level of the cluster, but the extent to which pure redox chemistry perturbs the affinity of high spin iron clusters for π-acids is not well understood. Here, we report a series of site-differentiated iron clusters that reversibly bind CO in redox states FeII4 through FeIIFeIII3. One electron redox events result in small changes in the affinity for (at most ∼400-fold) and activation of CO (at most 28 cm–1 for νCO). The small influence of redox chemistry on the affinity of these high spin, valence-localized clusters for CO is in stark contrast to the large enhancements (105–1022 fold) in π-acid affinity reported for monometallic and low spin, bimetallic iron complexes, where redox chemistry occurs exclusively at the ligand binding site. While electron-loading at metal centers remote from the substrate binding site has minimal influence on the CO binding energetics (∼1 kcal·mol–1), it provides a conduit for CO binding at an FeIII c...
On Public Protest, Violence, and Street Gangs

This article elaborates upon the authors’ 2017 op-ed, “To deal with Antifa, designate it a street gang,” published in The Wall Street Journal. Following recent calls to declare Antifa, a loosely-organized collective of anti-fascists, a domestic terrorist organization, we argue for the categorization of the group as a street gang instead. We advocate for better understanding of groups and group processes and review existing gang definitions, specifically the California penal code and the consensus Eurogang definition. We find that groups within antifa meet gang criteria because they have a collective identity and engage in illegal violent activity. Classification of antifa as a street gang is preferable to domestic terrorism, we argue, because it permits the deployment of evidence-based violence prevention and intervention strategies beyond the current emphasis on crowd control. This article thus contributes to a burgeoning literature that examines the overlap between gangs and other social groups, with implications for broader criminological research and practice.
Laser Therapies: Cyclodestructive Procedures

Early attempts to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP) through treating the ciliary body utilized the process of diathermy to destroy aqueous-producing cells. This method quickly fell out of favor due to a high rate of hypotony as well as lack of efficacy. Cryotherapy was another early method of ciliary body ablation, and, while the results were more successful and repeatable than diathermy, freezing of the ciliary body never achieved widespread acceptance. The use of cyclophotocoagulation (CPC) was first reported in the early 1960s using a xenon arc photocoagulator for ciliary body destruction. A decade later, the arc photocoagulator was replaced by a laser and development of the present form of cycloablation began its evolution.
Abstract B13: COP1-ETS axis regulates ERK transcriptional output and modulates sensitivity to MAPK inhibitors

Aberrant activation of the mitogen activate kinase (MAPK) pathway is highly prevalent in cancer and therapies targeting the pathway are approved or under active investigation in multiple malignancies. MAPK signaling leads to activation of a transcriptional program that includes general growth promoting genes, negative feedback regulators of the MAPK pathway, and lineage-specific genes. While the mechanisms of upstream signal transduction that leads to MAPK activation have been studied in detail, how MAPK activation is dynamically coupled with downstream nuclear transcriptional response is not fully understood. In gastrointestinal stomal tumor (GIST) and melanoma, two malignancies with aberrant MAPK activation, we find that Pea3 family ETS transcription factors ETV1, ETV4, and ETV5 are critical nuclear effectors of MAPK signaling. We find that the primary mechanism linking MAPK and Pea3 activity is through protein stability via the COP1 E3 ligase. The loss of COP1 leads to decoupling between upstream MAPK signaling and downstream transcription with constitutively stabilized Pea3 protein levels, constitutively high MAPK transcriptome, yet decreased upstream signaling due to Pea3-mediated transcription of negative feedback regulators. This leads to decreased therapeutic sensitivity to MAPK pathway inhibition in vitro and in vivo. These observations indicate that MAPK signaling-dependent regulation of Pea3 ETS protein stability is a crucial pathway that couples downstream transcriptional response to MAPK signaling and can shape the therapeutic sensitivity to MAPK pathway inhibition in cancer. Citation Format: Yuanyuan Xie, Zhen Cao, Wai Pung Wong, Youxin Guan, Jenny Zhang, Edward Walczak, Devan Murphy, Leili Ran, Inna Sirota, Shangqian Wang, Shipra Shukla, Dong Gao, John Wongvipat, Simon Knott, Kenneth Chang, Cristina Antonescu, Gregory Hannon, Ping Chi, Yu Chen. COP1-ETS axis regulates ERK transcriptional output and modulates sensitivity to MAPK inhibitors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Conference on Advances in Sarcomas: From Basic Science to Clinical Translation; May 16-19, 2017; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2018;24(2_Suppl):Abstract nr B13.
Targeting HER2 in patient-derived xenograft ovarian cancer models sensitizes tumors to chemotherapy.

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. About 75% of ovarian cancer patients relapse and/or develop chemo-resistant disease after initial response to standard-of-care treatment with platinum-based therapies. HER2 amplifications and overexpression in ovarian cancer are reported to vary, and responses to HER2 inhibitors have been poor. Next generation sequencing technologies in conjunction with testing using patient-derived xenografts (PDX) allow validation of personalized treatments. Using a whole-genome mate-pair next generation sequencing (MPseq) protocol, we identified several high grade serous ovarian cancers (HGS-OC) with DNA alterations in genes encoding members of the ERBB2 pathway. The efficiency of anti-HER2 therapy was tested in three different PDX lines with the identified alterations and high levels of HER2 protein expression. Treatment responses to pertuzumab or pertuzumab/trastuzumab were compared in each PDX line WITH standard carboplatin and paclitaxel combination treatment. In all three PDX models, HER2-targeted therapy resulted in significant inhibition of tumor growth compared with untreated controls. However, the responses in each case were inferior to those to chemotherapy, even for chemo-resistant lines. When chemotherapy and HER2-targeted therapy were administered together, a significant regression of tumor was observed after 6 weeks of treatment compared with chemotherapy alone. Post-treatment analysis of these tissues revealed that inhibition of the ERBB2 pathway occurred at the level of phosphorylation and expression of downstream targets. In conclusion, while targeting of presumably activated ERBB2 pathway alone in HGS-OC results in a modest treatment benefit, a combination therapy including both chemotherapy drugs and HER2 inhibitors provides a far better response. Further studies are needed to address development of recurrence and sensitivity of recurrent disease to HER2-targeted therapy.
The experiences queer college women of color have of friendship

AbstractResearch has shown that friendship between queer college women of color was beneficial to racial and sexual identity development. To date, no study has sought to discover the ways in which ...
Saving Veins, Saving Lives, for Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease

Paje and colleagues reported a study of PICC use in patients with CKD. The editorialist discusses how vein protection depends on decision making by nonnephrologists caring for complex patients with...
International Plant Pathology: Past and Future Contributions to Global Food Security

The challenge of feeding the current and future world population is widely recognized, and the management of plant diseases has an important role in overcoming this. This paper explores the ways in which international plant pathology has contributed and continues to support efforts to secure adequate, safe and culturally appropriate nourishment and livelihoods for present and future generations. For the purposes of this paper, "international plant pathology" refers to the work that plant pathologists do when they work across international borders, with a focus on enhancing food security in tropical regions. Significant efforts involve public and philanthropic resources from the global North for addressing plant disease concerns in the global South, where food security is a legitimate and pressing concern. International disease management efforts are also aimed at protecting domestic food security, for example when pathogens of major staples migrate across national borders. In addition, some important crops are largely produced in tropical countries and consumed globally, including in industrialized countries; the diseases of these crops are of international interest, and they are largely managed by the private sector. Finally, host-microbe interactions are fascinating biological systems, and basic research on plant diseases of international relevance has often yielded insights and technologies with both scientific and practical implications.
A Stabilizer for Inverters Operating in Grid-Feeding, Grid-Supporting and Grid-Forming Modes

An adaptive stabilization technique is presented in this paper to enable stable operation of inverters operating under weak grids. The large impedance associated with a weak grid can deteriorate the stability of inverters in grid-feeding, grid-supporting, and grid-forming modes of operation. In this paper, the gain of the cross-coupling current terms are adaptively varied using a direct model reference adaptive control (MRAC) approach to enhance the stability of inverters in weak grids. The direct MRAC approach does not require a parameter estimation stage, instead, the parameters are updated according to an adaptation law derived using the Lyapunov stability criterion to ensure that the response of the system follows the response of a stable reference model. The inner current loops are present in a controller operating in a synchronously rotating frame, irrespective of the operating mode of the inverter, making the presented technique suitable for various modes of inverter operation. The efficacy of the developed scheme is verified for various weak grid scenarios through simulation studies carried out in the MATLAB/Simulink environment.
FPolyOS: A Simulation Platform to Explore Breakthrough Concepts in Intelligent Transportation

Today, transportation planners are asked to optimize the transportation system such that every participant has minimal latency while the costs of the overall infrastructure are minimized. The tools at hand focus on road design, signage, and traffic light management. These tools are coarsegrained and must manage a variable degree of compliance from human drivers. Overall, this is a very difficult task. Perhaps the biggest opportunity for the transportation system is the electronics technology revolution, which makes many powerful tools available. These include the availability of customer point-to-point information (cellphone applications), dynamic traffic management (smart lights), and directive agents (Autonomous Vehicles or Commercial Fleets). Further, with the availability of these tools, fundamentally new customer engagement models can be enabled to optimize the transportation system. In this paper we present FPolyOS, a next generation simulation environment, which is built to explore break-out models enabled by bottom-up electronics infrastructure. FPolyOS is differentiated by exploring concepts such as micro-tolling and dynamic traffic management combined with a top-down market based optimization paradigm.
Perfusion characteristics of a coronary artery ligation model in mice using Tc-99m-MIBI/SPECT and N-13-ammonia/PET

1534 Objectives: Myocardial perfusion assessment using nuclear imaging techniques is a standard radiologic practice in the clinical management of myocardial infarction (MI). However, very little work has been done to characterize myocardial distribution of commonly used perfusion tracers in mouse models of MI. The non-invasive and sensitive nature of nuclear procedures are sought after characteristics in drug development research; application of PET and/or SPECT in advancing stem cell and anti-oxidant therapy as well as organ transplant will be of immense significance. Here we describe the use of Tc-99m-Sestamibi (MIBI) and N-13-ammonia in a mouse model of left anterior coronary artery ligation (LAD ligation) for rapid and non-invasive characterization of ligation success and extent of injury. Methods: CD-1 mice (20-30 g) were anesthetized with isoflurane, endotracheally intubated, and ventilated. An incision was made on the left distal rib space, and the ribs were retracted above the left ventricle. A suture (8.0 nylon) was placed under the left anterior descending coronary artery and tied to restrict blood flow to the left ventricle. The ribs were approximated and sutured in place and the incision was closed. The mice were allowed to recover for 3 hours before imaging. Helical SPECT (24 projections of 45 s duration) was acquired of thoracic region by BioScan NanoSPECT In vivo Animal Imager at 1 h after injecting 74 MBq of MIBI in the tail vein (100-150 µL). PET acquisition was done on a Gamma Medica Ideas FLEX XO XPET PreClinlical Platform. PET was performed immediately after injecting approximately 8 MBq of N-13-ammonia in the tail vein (150 µL). For anatomical landmarks, whole body CT followed both SPECT and PET acquisitions. Infarct area was confirmed with Evans blue and TTC staining post-euthanasia. Results: Although non-gated nature of image acquisition resulted in significant loss of resolution, both Tc-99m-MIBI and N-13-ammonia showed a clear perfusion defect in the infarct area. Infarct delineation by MIBI/SPECT was better than that by N-13-ammonia/PET, which could be attributed to the difference in the spatial resolution of the cameras or residual blood pool activity at the imaging timepoints. The magnitude of image-derived perfusion deficit closely correlated with histologic assessment of infarct on Evans blue- and TTC-stained short axis heart slices. Conclusions: Small animal SPECT and PET have the resolution and sensitivity to assess myocardial perfusion in mouse model of MI. As such these techniques could be employed for non-invasive characterization of this standard model which is widely used in drug development research.
Welcome and Introduction to SPIE Conference 11678

Welcome and Introduction to SPIE Photonics West LASE conference 11678: Free-Space Laser Communications XXXIII
Exceeding body composition standards is associated with a more negative body image and increased weight cycling in active duty U.S. soldiers.

Abstract Negative body image is more often identified in individuals with overweight or obesity. More than 65% of U.S. soldiers have a body mass index (BMI) that classifies them with overweight or obesity. Additionally, all soldiers must meet body composition and physical fitness standards which may increase the risk of negative body image. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify associations between compliance with body composition standards, body image, and weight cycling through surveying 969 active-duty soldiers (86% male, 24.0 ± 5.5 years of age, BMI 26.0 ± 3.6 kg/m2). Compliance with body composition standards was measured by whether a soldier had ever taken and failed the circumference-based body fat assessment. Weight cycling was self-reported as ≥3 weight fluctuations of ≥5% of body weight during their military career. Multivariate linear and logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between compliance with body composition standards, body image, weight cycling, and sociodemographic characteristics while controlling for BMI. Failing the circumference-based body fat assessment was associated with increased concern with conforming to military image. Negative body image was associated with higher odds of weight cycling. Further examination is warranted to understand the effects of body composition standards on soldiers' body image and weight cycling.
Small studies, big decisions: the role of pilot/feasibility studies in incremental science and premature scale-up of behavioral interventions.

BACKGROUND Careful consideration and planning are required to establish "sufficient" evidence to ensure an investment in a larger, more well-powered behavioral intervention trial is worthwhile. In the behavioral sciences, this process typically occurs where smaller-scale studies inform larger-scale trials. Believing that one can do the same things and expect the same outcomes in a larger-scale trial that were done in a smaller-scale preliminary study (i.e., pilot/feasibility) is wishful thinking, yet common practice. Starting small makes sense, but small studies come with big decisions that can influence the usefulness of the evidence designed to inform decisions about moving forward with a larger-scale trial. The purpose of this commentary is to discuss what may constitute sufficient evidence for moving forward to a definitive trial. The discussion focuses on challenges often encountered when conducting pilot/feasibility studies, referred to as common (mis)steps, that can lead to inflated estimates of both feasibility and efficacy, and how the intentional design and execution of one or more, often small, pilot/feasibility studies can play a central role in developing an intervention that scales beyond a highly localized context. MAIN BODY Establishing sufficient evidence to support larger-scale, definitive trials, from smaller studies, is complicated. For any given behavioral intervention, the type and amount of evidence necessary to be deemed sufficient is inherently variable and can range anywhere from qualitative interviews of individuals representative of the target population to a small-scale randomized trial that mimics the anticipated larger-scale trial. Major challenges and common (mis)steps in the execution of pilot/feasibility studies discussed are those focused on selecting the right sample size, issues with scaling, adaptations and their influence on the preliminary feasibility and efficacy estimates observed, as well as the growing pains of progressing from small to large samples. Finally, funding and resource constraints for conducting informative pilot/feasibility study(ies) are discussed. CONCLUSION Sufficient evidence to scale will always remain in the eye of the beholder. An understanding of how to design informative small pilot/feasibility studies can assist in speeding up incremental science (where everything needs to be piloted) while slowing down premature scale-up (where any evidence is sufficient for scaling).
What Is “Education”?

Analytic philosophy of education focuses on clarifying such key terms as: “education”, “aims”, “goals”, “objectives”, “overt curriculum”, “covert curriculum”, “null curriculum”, “pedagogical content knowledge”. The understanding of these and other concepts is critical to enable contemporary education to be regarded as a truly professional domain.
Characterizing clusters of gentrification in metro Atlanta, 2000 to 2016

Abstract Gentrification can drive residential displacement and exacerbate social inequities; however, no consensus about such impacts exists because gentrification definitions vary, and methods lack spatial statistics. Here, gentrification scores were calculated for census tracts in the Atlanta metropolitan area, 2000–2016. Spatial autocorrelation of gentrification was assessed, and spatial cluster detection identified hotspots and coldspots of gentrification. Sub-analyses evaluated the impact of time period (before/after 2010) and conceptualization of gentrification (purely economic changes or a combination of changes in economic, racial, and age composition) on the size and location of clusters. Extreme gentrification occurred around downtown Atlanta, while southern and eastern reaches experienced economic decline and decreases in older and non-Hispanic White residents. Leveraging spatial statistical analysis and examining gentrification hotspots across metrics, this study establishes critical understanding of historic gentrification in Atlanta and lays the groundwork to further examine gentrification's impact on the wellbeing of residents and communities to inform urban planning decisions to advance equity.
West Germany and the Global Sixties: The Anti-Authoritarian Revolt, 1962–1978

Introduction 1. Space 2. Time 3. Word 4. Sound 5. Vision 6. Power 7. Sex 8. Death Bibliography Index.
Submicro and Nanostructuring of Materials by Severe Plastic Deformation

This chapter discusses the development of the metallurgical structure of submicro and nanostructured metallic materials in Severe Plastic Deformation (SPD) . Particular attention is paid to Equal-Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) as the most feasible way to achieve the major objectives of grain refinement , distinguished as strength enhancement, superplasticity, and improvement in creep resistance. The need and essence of the multi-pass process is explained in detail. Particular attention is paid to the deformation mode in SPD . It is shown that the discussed objectives can be achieved if this deformation mode is simple shear . The chapter also presents the development and modeling of large strain extrusion machining (LSEM) , comparing the results obtained in this process with those in ECAP.
Toxicology and management of acute drug ingestions in adults.

We reviewed the current literature on the toxicology and management of acute drug ingestions in adults after a MEDLINE search of English-language journal articles. Information on toxicology was also acquired from relevant textbooks. Present statistics were gathered through information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the American Association of Poison Control Centers. All patients with acute drug ingestions should be treated with supportive care initially, and when stabilized, undergo active removal of the ingested substance, based on the diagnostic and prognostic assessment. Identification of the ingested substance may prove useful in some instances when specific therapy or antidotes are indicated.
MIS-MV: optimization of multi-level logic with multiple-values inputs

Techniques are presented for the optimization of multi-level logic with multiple-valued input variables. The motivation for this is to tackle the input encoding problem in logic synthesis, where binary codes need to be found for the different values of a symbolic input variable. Multi-level multiple-valued optimization is used to generate constraints that are used to determine the codes. The state assignment problem in sequential logic synthesis can be approximated as an input encoding problem by ignoring the next state field, which is reasonable when the primary output logic, dominates the next state logic. A novel technique is presented for extracting common factors with multiple-valued variables, and it is shown how other multi-level optimization techniques are easily extended with multiple-valued variables. These ideas have been implemented as algorithms in the MIS-MV program. Practical issues are also presented regarding implementation. Experimental results are also given. >
Quantitative analysis of hydrocarbons by structural group type in gasolines and distillates : III. Combined use of liquid and gas chromatography

Abstract Liquid chromatography is combined with gas chromatography (GC) for the reliable determination of hydrocarbons in gasolines and similar products according to structural groups. The gasoline sample is pre-separated into three groups (saturates, olefins and aromatics) by liquid chromtography and aliquots of the individual fractions are analyzed by GC, resulting in a partial separation of the compounds present. The composition of the original gasoline sample is calculated from the GC results, utilizing the close uniformity of the flame ionization detector response for hydrocarbons. Possibilities for further improvements are outlined.
Reduced order modeling of closed-loop Nash games

We summarize recent results in two complementary research directions in the study of well-posedness of singularly perturbed closed-loop Nash games. The natural order reduction is ill-posed but a hierarchical reduction is well-posed in the sense that a singularly perturbed game is asymptotic to the hierarchically reduced game.
Clinical patterns in Crohn's disease: a statistical study of 615 cases.

Results of a study of 615 consecutive patients with Crohn's disease seen at the Cleveland Clinic from 1966 through 1969 are reported. The thesis evaluated was that initial anatomic involvement bears directly on the clinical course and prognosis. The following clinical patterns were established: (1) ileocolic, 252 patients (41%); (2) small intestine, 176 patients (28.6%); (3) colon, 166 patients (27%); (4) anorectal, 21 patients (3.4%). Among symptoms, statistically significant features (P
Hazard and risk assessment

Hazard and risk both provide with two distinct strategies for managing health and safety. Hazard can be removed with a particular workplace material or process. In order to reduce the risk associated with a hazard that cannot itself be reduced, it is necessary to reduce exposure. This is accomplished by implementing three exposure-control approaches—management control, engineering control, and personal protective clothing and equipment. An essential aspect of any hazard assessment is the correlation of hazardous agents and sources with the immediacy and specificity of the potential harm or injury. The immediacy of a hazard is described in terms of the time interval between exposure to the hazard and the manifestation of consequent harm or injury. Today, risk assessment takes many forms and is inclusive of diverse objectives and techniques. When carried out by a governmental agency, risk assessment is typically the prelude to establish regulatory or advisory health and safety standards. When performed by an insurance company, the purpose is to establish premium rates or to advise corporate clients as to corrective actions that should be taken to reduce financial and legal risks associated with workplace health and safety.
Sn-1,2-diacylglycerols and phorbol esters stimulate the synthesis and release of human placental lactogen from placental cells: a role for protein kinase C.

Activation of calcium-stimulated phospholipiddependent protein kinase C (PKC) by diacylglycerols and phorbol esters has been shown to mediate the release of secretory proteins in several systems. To determine whether PKC activation is involved in regulation of the release of human placental lactogen (hPL) from the placenta, we examined the effects of various acylglycerols and phorbol esters on the release of hPL from cultured human trophoblast cells. Sn-l,2-dioctanoylglycerol (diC8) and phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), both of which stimulate placental protein kinase C activity, caused dose-dependent increases in hPL release over a 0.5-h period. The maximal amounts of hPL released in response to diC8 (300 μM) and PMA (10−8 M) were 200–300% and 150–225% greater, respectively, than that released in response to diluent alone. Acylglycerols and phorbol esters, which are less potent stimulators of PKC activity in other systems, stimulated hPL release to a lesser extent than either diC8 or PMA. PKC-inacti...
Quality of informed consent in cancer clinical trials: a cross-sectional survey

Summary Background Investigators have to obtain informed consent before enrolling participants in clinical trials. We wanted to measure the quality of understanding among participants in clinical trials of cancer therapies, to identify correlates of increased understanding, and to assess providers' beliefs about clinical research. We also sought evidence of therapeutic misconceptions in participants and providers. Methods We sent a standard questionnaire to 287 adult patients with cancer who had recently enrolled in a clinical trial at one of three affiliated institutions, and surveyed the provider who obtained each patient's consent. Findings 207 of 287 (72%) patients responded. 90% (186) of these respondents were satisfied with the informed consent process and most considered themselves to be well informed. Nevertheless, many did not recognise non-standard treatment (74%), the potential for incremental risk from participation (63%), the unproven nature of the treatment (70%), the uncertainty of benefits to self (29%), or that trials are done mainly to benefit future patients (25%). In multivariate analysis, increased knowledge was associated with college education, speaking only English at home, use of the US National Cancer Institute consent form template, not signing the consent form at initial discussion, presence of a nurse, and careful reading of the consent form. Only 28 of 61 providers (46%) recognised that the main reason for clinical trials is benefit to future patients. Interpretation Misconceptions about cancer clinical trials are frequent among trial participants, and physician/investigators might share some of these misconceptions. Efforts to educate providers and participants about the underlying goals of clinical trials are needed.
Costs of childhood physical abuse: comparing inflicted and unintentional traumatic brain injuries

Objectives. To estimate the effect of early childhood abuse (ie, inflicted injury) on medical costs of head trauma. Methods. Abstracts of patient records were drawn from the annual 1993–2000 Colorado state-mandated hospital discharge database maintained by the Colorado Hospital Association. The 2 dependent variables were total charges (TC) and length of stay. Our key independent variable was the nature of injury, ie, inflicted or unintentional; other independent variables were age, severity level, death, and trauma designation of the hospital. Comparisons of variables between patients with inflicted and unintentional head trauma were performed using Student’s t tests or χ2 statistics. Ordinary least squares regression was used to estimate the marginal and total effects of inflicted injury on TC and LOS. Results. Of the 1097 head trauma patients Conclusions. The findings from multivariate models of TC and length of stay corroborate the simpler univariate findings of earlier studies. By focusing on the impact of those cases of child abuse that lead to a specific, severe clinical entity (traumatic brain injury), we isolated a significant economic impact of abuse on health care expenditures for injury.
Some effects of MHD activity on impurity transport in the PBX Tokamak

The effects of MHD activity on intrinsic impurity transport are studied in ohmic discharges of the Princeton Beta Experiment (PBX) by measuring the Zeff profile from visible bremsstrahlung radiation and spectral line intensities from ultraviolet spectroscopy. A diffusive/convective transport model, including an internal disruption model, is used to simulate the data. The Zeff profile with no MHD activity is fitted with a strong inward convection, characterized by a peaking parameter cv(=-a2 nu /2rD)=11 (-3.5, +4.5). At the onset of MHD activity (a large m=1 n=1 oscillation is followed by sawteeth), this strongly peaked profile is flattened and subsequently reaches a new quasi-equilibrium shape. This new profile is characterized by reduced convection (cv=3.6 (-1.1, +1.6), D=1.4 (-0.7, +5.6)*104 cm2 s-1) in addition to the particle redistribution which accompanies the sawtooth internal disruptions, indicating that the transport processes themselves change with the onset of sawtooth activity.
On-board compensation for temporal changes in pushbroom scanner detector arrays

The design and operation of pushbroom and mechanical scanners are reviewed in order to determine differences in data preprocessing. Data preprocessing is categorized into spatial registration and radiometric corrections, as well as into systematic versus nonsystematic corrections. The category of nonsystematic radiometric errors due to temporal changes in detector array properties is emphasized as a subject of special interest and a challenging problem for onboard data preprocessing. Concepts for onboard compensation of temporal changes are presented. In particular one concept which uses dark current as an indicator of temperature change for determining gain and offset corrections is shown to have a number of advantages.
Associations between dietary quality, noise, and hearing: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2002

AbstractObjective: A statistically significant relationship between dietary nutrient intake and threshold sensitivity at higher frequencies has been reported, but evidence conflicts across studies. Here, the potential interaction between noise and diet in their association to hearing was examined. Design: This cross-sectional analysis was based on Healthy Eating Index data and audiological threshold pure-tone averages for low (0.5 to 2 kHz) and high (3 to 8 kHz) frequencies. Study sample: Data were drawn from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2002. Results: Controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, diabetes, hypertension, and smoking we found statistically significant relationships between dietary quality and high-frequency threshold sensitivity as well as noise exposure and high-frequency thresholds. In addition, there was a statistically significant interaction between dietary quality and reported noise exposure with respect to high-frequency threshold sensitivity in ...
Periodontal Regeneration Updated

Techniques in treating periodontal disease are discussed to provide insight about which technique fits each clinical situation. New developments provide possible regeneration of new cementum, periodontal ligament and alveolar bone, resulting in a new periodontal attachment.
F 2 -ISOPROSTANES (F 2 I) IN TRACHEOBRONCHIAL ASPIRATE FLUID (TBAF) INDICATE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN INCREASED FIO 2 AND LIPID PEROXIDATION IN THE LUNGS OF PREMATURE INFANTS. ▴ 1957

F 2 -ISOPROSTANES (F 2 I) IN TRACHEOBRONCHIAL ASPIRATE FLUID (TBAF) INDICATE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN INCREASED FIO 2 AND LIPID PEROXIDATION IN THE LUNGS OF PREMATURE INFANTS. ▴ 1957
Childhood adversity, attachment and personality styles as predictors of anxiety among elderly caregivers

The purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which childhood adversity, attachment and personality styles influenced the likelihood of having an anxiety disorder among aged caregivers for terminally ill spouses. We also sought to determine how childhood adversity and attachment/personality styles jointly influenced the likelihood of developing an anxiety disorder among aged caregivers. Data were derived from semistructured interviews with 50 spouses (aged 60 and above) of terminally ill patients. The Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse (CECA) record provided retrospective, behaviorally based information on childhood adversity. Measures of attachment and personality styles were obtained from self-report questionnaires, and the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-III-R (SCID) was used to determine diagnoses for anxiety disorders. Logistic regression models estimated the effects of childhood adversity, attachment/personality disturbances, and the interaction between the two on the likelihood of having an anxiety disorder. Results indicated that childhood adversity and paranoid, histrionic and self-defeating styles all directly increase the odds of having an anxiety disorder as an elderly spousal caregiver. In addition, childhood adversity in conjunction with borderline, antisocial and excessively dependent styles increased the likelihood of having an anxiety disorder. The results indicate the need to investigate further the interaction between childhood experiences and current attachment/personality styles in their effects on the development of anxiety disorders.
Optimizing thread throughput for multithreaded workloads on memory constrained CMPs

Multi-core designs have become the industry imperative, replacing our reliance on increasingly complicated micro-architectural designs and VLSI improvements to deliver increased performance at lower power budgets. Performance of these multi-core chips will be limited by the DRAM memory system: we demonstrate this by modeling a cycle-accurate DDR2 memory controller with SPLASH-2 workloads. Surprisingly, benchmarks that appear to scale well with the number of processors fail to do so when memory is accurately modeled. We frequently find that the most efficient configuration is not the one with the most threads. By choosing the most efficient number of threads for each benchmark, average energy delay efficiency improves by a factor of 3.39, and performance improves by 19.7%, on average. We also introduce a shadow row of sense amplifiers, an alternative to cached DRAM, to explore potential power/performance impacts. The shadow row works in conjunction with the L2 Cache to leverage temporal and spatial locality across memory accesses, thus attaining average and peak speedups of 13% and 43%, respectively, when compared to a state-of-the-art DRAM memory scheduler.
Film as a Teaching Resource

This article discusses using film as a resource for teaching organizational behavior and management theories and concepts. It draws from the film theory and film studies literature to describe film's unique qualities as a communication medium. The article describes how film enhances the learning process in ways unavailable in other media. It describes many ways of using films in organizational behavior and management courses, using examples of scenes from several well-known films.
Automated amino acid sequence of small peptides utilizing Polybrene.

Abstract The ability of Polybrene, a quaternary ammonlum compound, to facilitate automated sequencing of small peptides has been examined. In all cases, the inclusion of Polybrene has led to dramatically increased repetitive yields and has allowed the determination of the complete sequences of a variety of peptides of different origins and lengths. Methods for using Polybrene and for reducing Polybrene-generated artifacts are discussed.
Is It a Pheochromocytoma

The patient is a 44-year-old man with a 4-year history of intermittently elevated blood pressure (BP) controlled by diet and exercise. Three months before evaluation he described daily “spikes” of BP with sharp unilateral headaches. He was seen in the emergency department with a BP of 212/106 mm Hg and was started on hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg daily. He denied palpitations, diaphoretic episodes, pallor, and tremor. The patient did not want to take medication and specifically requested an evaluation to rule out pheochromocytoma. Results from 24-hour urine tests for total metanephrines was 812 mg/24 h (normal, 130–520 mg/24 h), for total catecholamines was 53 mg/24 h (normal, 0–135 mg/24 h), and for vanillylmandelic acid was 4.7mg/24 h (normal, <7 mg/24 h). Thyroid-stimulating hormone was 0.87 (normal, 0.4–4.0 IU/mL). Physical examination revealed normal optic fundi, negative cardiac examination results, and presence of peripheral pulses without bruits. His BP was now 136/74 mm Hg, with a heart rate of 76 beats per minute.
Characterization of an unusual Ds transposable element in Arabidopsis thaliana: Insertion of an abortive circular transposition intermediate

The maize Ac/Ds transposable elements, which belong to the hAT transposon superfamily, are widely used as insertional mutagens in numerous plant species.Molecular studies suggest that Ac/Ds elements transpose in a conservative non-replicative fashion; however the molecular mechanism of transposition remains unclear. We describe here the identification of an unusual Ds element, Ds-mmd1, in a transgenic Arabidopsis line. Ds-mmd1 is rearranged relative to the original Ds element, such that the original 5′ and 3′ ends are internal and previously internal sequences are the new 5′ and 3′ termini of Ds-mmd1. Short duplications of plant genomic DNA and Ds sequences are present at the Ds-mmd1 junctions, suggesting that a circular Ds molecule was part of the events that created the Ds-mmd1 element. In addition, a revertant analysis on mmd1 plants demonstrated that Ds-mmd1 can be eliminated from the genome in an Ac-dependent process.
6.3.2 TESTING KNOWLEDGE OF SYSTEMS ENGINEERING PROCESS FUNDAMENTALS

A method is presented for people to determine if they know the fundamentals of the systems engineering process as applied to aerospace systems. After considering optional methods, a series of proctored tests with post test identification of incorrect answers was selected as the optimal approach. A systems engineering approach was taken to develop the test. The test was verified to meet performance, functional and design requirements using focus groups consisting of an aerospace firm's management and staff. Sample questions are provided.
The Role of the Environment and Person When Predicting Burnout among Correctional Personnel

Burnout among correctional staff was examined within a person-environment framework. Total exhaustion and number of bad day scores were expected to be related to sets of personal (e.g., age, length...
Characteristics of Antigen-Presenting Cells Involved in Contact Sensitization of Normal and UV-Irradiated Mice

Exposure of mice to ultraviolet (UV)-B (280–320 nm) radiation alters their immune response to contact-sensitizing haptens applied to UV-irradiated skin. Under these conditions, the contact-hypersensitivity response is reduced, and haptenspecific suppressor T lymphocytes can be found in the spleen. Considerable evidence suggests that the epidermal Langerhans cell is one of the principal targets of this effect of UV irradiation that leads, ultimately, to suppressor cell formation. We are using a combination of cell-surface markers and light and electron microscopy to determine whether differences can be detected in the antigen-presenting cells involved in contact sensitization of normal and UV-irradiated mice.
Cloning of a potential cytochrome P450 from the Archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus

Abstract A gene, CYP119, for a potential cytochrome P450 has been isolated and sequenced from the extreme acidothermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus. The gene predicts a polypeptide of 368 amino acids containing the consensus heme-binding sequence Phe-Gly-Xaa-Gly-Xaa-His-Xaa-Cys-Xaa-Gly- Xaa3-Ala-Arg-Xaa-Glu. It most closely resembles the cytochrome P450s found in the bacterium Bacillus subtilis, with which it shares 129 identical amino acid residues (35%). This first sequence of a potential archaeal cytochrome P450 represents an important step in tracing the complex evolutionary history of this biologically important enzyme family.
Sex differences in time estimation.

Female and male Ss made magnitude estimations of 9, 27, and 81 sec. durations which were filled with evenly and unevenly organized trains of auditory stimuli. There were no statistically significan...