cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Viable germ cell tumor at postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection: Can we predict patients at risk of disease progression?

BACKGROUND. Patients with viable tumor at time of postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC-RPLND) are at an increased risk of disease progression. The objective of the current study was to determine the clinical variables that predict this adverse outcome. METHODS. Between 1980 and 2003, 236 patients with testicular cancer underwent PC-RPLND, 41 of whom (17%) were found to have viable tumor. The authors retrospectively reviewed the patients' medical records for pertinent clinical and treatment-related outcomes. At a median follow-up of 3.9 years, 18 patients (44%) had developed disease recurrence and 12 patients (29%) had died of disease. RESULTS. The group of patients who developed postoperative disease recurrence had a larger median dimension of the retroperitoneal mass (7.0 cm and 3.5 cm, respectively; P = .03). The use of adjuvant chemotherapy after PC-RPLND was less common in those patients developing postoperative disease recurrence (P = .06). On multivariate analysis, patients classified as being at intermediate or poor risk according to the International Germ Cell Consensus Classification (IGCCC) had a poorer recurrence-free survival (P = .006 and P = .07, respectively). On multivariate analysis, predictors of disease-specific survival (DSS) included an elevated α–fetoprotein (AFP) level before PC-RPLND (P = .003) and postoperative disease recurrence (P = .02). A serum AFP level >5.3 ng/mL before PC-RPLND was found to be predictive of a poorer DSS (P = .0007). CONCLUSIONS. Patients with viable tumor at the time of PC-RPLND are at an increased risk of disease progression. Clinical variables including classification as intermediate or poor IGCCC risk, a preoperative serum AFP level >5.3 ng/mL, and postoperative disease recurrence help to better define those patients who are at risk of future adverse outcomes. Cancer 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Positron tomographic assessment of androgen receptors in prostatic carcinoma

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of androgen receptor (AR) imaging with 16β-[18F]fluoro-5α-dihydrotestosterone (FDHT) by positron emission tomography (PET) and to assess the binding selectivity of FDHT to AR in patients with prostate cancer.
Expression and distribution of sialic acid influenza virus receptors in wild birds

Avian influenza (AI) viruses have been detected in more than 105 wild bird species from 12 different orders but species-related differences in susceptibility to AI viruses exist. Expression of α2,3-linked (avian-type) and α2,6-linked (human-type) sialic acid (SA) influenza virus receptors in tissues is considered one of the determinants of the host range and tissue tropism of influenza viruses. We investigated the expression of these SA receptors in 37 wild bird species from 11 different orders by lectin histochemistry. Two isoforms of Maackia amurensis (MAA) lectin, MAA1 and MAA2, were used to detect α2,3-linked SA, and Sambucus nigra lectin was used to detect α2,6-linked SA. All species evaluated expressed α2,3-linked and α2,6-linked SA receptors in endothelial cells and renal tubular epithelial cells. Both α2,3-linked and α-2,6-linked SA receptors were expressed in respiratory and intestinal tract tissues of aquatic and terrestrial wild bird species from different taxa, but differences in SA expression and in the predominant isoform of MAA lectin bound were observed. With a few possible exceptions, these observed differences were not generally predictive of reported species susceptibility to AI viruses based on published experimental and field data.
Depletion of individuals with “Outstandingly high” cerebral development in rats subjected to prenatal undernutrition*

Abstract In previous reports we have identified individual rats whose neonatal cerebral parameters (weight, DNA, protein) were "outstandingly high" (OH) (defined throughout as being more than 1 standard deviation (OH 1 ) or 2 standard deviations (OH 2 ) above the mean of normal population). In the present work we have established that pregnant rats subjected to chronic undernutrition (2/3 of ad lib diet) produce offspring in which occurrence of OH individuals is significantly depleted: OH 1 control 7 to 16%, undernourished 0.5 to 2.1%; OH 2 control 0.7 to 1.2%, undernourished 0.0%. Thus, the harmful effects of chronic undernutrition are twofold: 1) Significant reduction of mean values of cerebral parameters in the population as a whole, and 2) Depletion of occurrence of cerebral OH individuals. If these parameters are correlated with behavioral performance, the depletion of indivuduals with outstandingly high cerebral parameters (2) may be even more harmful than the well known reduction of mean values of these parameters in the population as a whole (1).
Abrasion resistant optical fibers with mechanically induced compressive surface stress

Strength and fatigue in the low strength region have been studied because the mechanical reliability of long length optical fibers has been dominated by the largest flaw in fibers.1 It is well known that residual compressive stress on the fiber surface improves the mechanical properties of the fibers. There are two methods to induce residual surface compression:
Provider perspectives on the use of indwelling urinary catheters in older adults in emergency department settings: Developing a novel clinical protocol

Background Indwelling urinary catheters (IUCs) are commonly placed in older adult (aged ≥ 65 years) patients in emergency department (ED) settings, often for inappropriate indications. The aim of our qualitative study was to explore ED provider knowledge, attitudes, and practice patterns surrounding use of IUCs in older adult patients in the ED setting, to better guide development of a clinical protocol. Methods We conducted 4 focus groups with 38 participants at a large academic medical center. Each focus group was conducted with a single ED provider type: attending physicians, residents, physician assistants, or nurses. Focus groups used a semistructured format, ranging in duration from 23-33 minutes. The sessions were audiorecorded, fully transcribed, and data were coded and analyzed to identify themes. Results Participants reported believing that IUCs are overutilized in ED settings, confirming that IUCs are infrequently removed once placed and often inserted for staff convenience. Participants reported that current clinical decision making about IUC placement varies widely; yet all acknowledged the known risks for patient safety and willingness to adopt a clinical protocol to standardize practice. Focus groups were a critical component for the development of a user-friendly protocol, identifying 10 key elements for successful implementation and 11 potential barriers. Conclusions An evidence-based clinical protocol guiding ED providers in appropriate placement and management of IUCs in older adults would be welcomed.
Nurse educator perceptions of structural empowerment and innovative behavior.

Abstract Aim. Using Kanter's theory of structural power, this study explored whether the degree of structural empowerment as perceived by nurse educators influences the degree of their innovative behavior. Background. Faculty are challenged to reform nursing education via innovation and a departure from traditional pedagogies. Little research on innovative behavior of nurse educators exists in the literature. Method. Nurse educators randomly selected from 150 accredited baccalaureate nursing programs were invited to complete an online survey. Results. The nurse educators perceived themselves as moderately empowered. Significant and positive correlations between structural empowerment and innovative behavior were found. Significant differences in the degree of perceived innovative behavior were associated with age, academic rank, employment status, and tenure status. Nurse educators employed in private institutions perceived greater structural empowerment than those employed in public institutions. Conclus...
Accelerating the customer-driven microgrid through real-time digital simulation

Comprehensive design and testing of realistic customer-driven microgrids requires a high performance simulation platform capable of incorporating power system and control models with external hardware systems. Traditional non real-time simulation is unable to fully capture the level of detail necessary to expose real-world implementation issues. With a real-time digital simulator as its foundation, a high-fidelity simulation environment that includes a robust electrical power system model, advanced control architecture, and a highly adaptable communication network is introduced. Hardware-in-the-loop implementation approaches for the hardware-based control and communication systems are included. An overview of the existing power system model and its suitability for investigation of autonomous island formation within the microgrid is additionally presented. Further test plans are also documented.
Caribe y exilio en La isla que se repite de Antonio Benítez Rojo

El presente trabajo propone una lectura del ensayo central de Antonio Benitez Rojo La isla que se repite (1989), insoslayable para abordar y reflexionar sobre las culturas caribenas, procurando delinear una posible interpretacion de la relacion entre su poetica y el exilio como asi tambien analizar algunas de las elecciones que hizo como intelectual, y el modo en que imagino el Caribe en sus ensayos. En el mapa elaborado por Benitez Rojo las islas paradisiacas figuran junto a las dominadas por la violencia y la muerte, y a veces se confunden. La Plantacion y la Utopia son los temas principales. Los ensayos de La isla que se repite permiten examinar su deseo de anudarse a otras tradiciones mediante un largo rodeo a traves de las ricas matrices culturales del Caribe. Fue su modo de escapar y trascender el discurso autoritario de la "nacion" dominante en la historia moderna cubana.
Sugarcane Planting Date Impact on Fall and Spring Sugarcane Borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) Infestations

ABSTRACT In a two-year field study, sugarcane was planted on 4 dates ranging from the first week of Aug to the third week of Nov, reproducing sugarcane phenologies associated with planting and harvesting operations in Louisiana. Sugarcane planted in early Aug offered an extended period of plant availability for sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.), infestations during the fall. Periodic sampling throughout the fall showed that early Aug plantings had higher (P < 0.05) D. saccharalis-caused deadheart densities than later planted sugarcane. Destructive sampling conducted in early Oct showed that Aug plantings harbored greater deadheart densities (P < 0.05 in fall 2007) and D. saccharalis infestations (P < 0.05 in fall 2006 and 2007) than Sep plantings. Data from this study suggest a potential for increased D. saccharalis overwintering populations in early plantings associated with greater infestations during the fall. However, differences in deadhearts and D. saccharalis infestations in deadhearts wer...
Morphological and electrophysiological characteristics of projection neurons in the nucleus interpositus of the cat cerebellum.

The populations of neurons in the nucleus interpositus (IP) of the cat cerebellum which project to the ventral lateral nucleus of the thalamus (VL), the red nucleus (RN), the nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontis (NRTP), the pontine nuclei (PN), the inferior olive (IO), and the cerebellar cortex were identified by intracellular and extracellular injections of HRP and studied electrophysiologically. When HRP was simultaneously injected into the VL, RN, and IO, over 95% of the neurons in the IP nuclei were labeled; indicating that there are few, if any, local circuit neurons. The vast majority (86%) of the larger IP neurons (soma length ≥ 20 μm) project rostrally to the RN and thalamus. These neurons typically have long, relatively spine free dendrites and axons which in a few cases gave rise to recurrent collaterals. Two intracellularly stained projection neurons which had exceptionally long spiny dendrites had axons which gave rise to nucleocortical collaterals in addition to several local collaterals. IP neurons projecting to the NRTP and PN were located primarily in the lateral aspect of the nucleus interpositus anterior. Electrophysiological experiments established that neurons projecting to the NRTP also project to the VL. The IP neurons projecting to the IO have small fusiform or multipolar somata, long thin dendrites, and receive excitatory inputs from the IO. At least 73% of the small neurons in the IP project to the IO, and some of these, in addition, project to the VL. There are at least three morphologically distinguishable populations of projection neurons in the IP, large VL projection neurons, small IO projection neurons, and neurons with nucleocortical collaterals. The projection of the IP to diverse regions of the brain is accomplished mainly by axon collateralization, but regional and morphological specialization also play a role in the organization of the output of the IP.
Predictors of honesty, intent, and valence of Facebook self-disclosure

Uses and gratifications theory was applied to self-disclosures.Motives, social and individual characteristics predicted disclosive behaviors.Relationship maintenance positively predicted all three dimensions of disclosure.Virtual community negatively predicted all three dimensions of disclosure.Exhibitionism was related to disclosing positive, dishonest information. This study applies the uses and gratifications theory (U&G) to examine self-disclosive behavior on Facebook. Using a convenience sample of 301 Facebook users, path analyses were conducted to determine how individual factors, social cohesion, and motives affect the honesty, valence, and intent of self-disclosure. Results showed that U&G provided a useful model for exploring the relationships among study variables. Facebook users motivated by relationship maintenance were generally more honest, intentional, and positive than others. Higher self-esteem was related to more positive self-disclosure, as well. Conversely, participants motivated to use Facebook for virtual community and companionship disclosed the most dishonest, unintentional, and negative information. These and other direct and indirect predictors of self-disclosure are discussed in light of the existing literature on Facebook self-disclosure.
The “Point” of Positive Organizational Behavior

Perhaps the most important “Point” we would like to make in this “Point-Counterpoint” on positive organizational behavior is the role that research must play in this evolving area of study. We follow this point on the importance of research by drawing from recent findings that indicate in discussions such as this point and counterpoint, that taking a positive approach leads to more in-depth inquiry, whereas a negative perspective leads to advocacy and in our view less learning potential. Thus, the positive perspective we take in this “Point” piece is to identify and make a deep inquiry into the major issues and questions surrounding positive organizational behavior (POB). We consciously try to avoid taking an advocacy position. Specifically, after first setting the stage with the background and status of POB, we draw from the lessons that can be learned from positive psychology and then make an inquiry into “Why POB?” and exactly “What is POB?” The article concludes with further inquiry into the role the negative does and can play, and finally how POB relates to our recent work in authentic leadership development. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Anaphase onset in vertebrate somatic cells is controlled by a checkpoint that monitors sister kinetochore attachment to the spindle.

To test the popular but unproven assumption that the metaphase-anaphase transition in vertebrate somatic cells is subject to a checkpoint that monitors chromosome (i.e., kinetochore) attachment to the spindle, we filmed mitosis in 126 PtK1 cells. We found that the time from nuclear envelope breakdown to anaphase onset is linearly related (r2 = 0.85) to the duration the cell has unattached kinetochores, and that even a single unattached kinetochore delays anaphase onset. We also found that anaphase is initiated at a relatively constant 23-min average interval after the last kinetochore attaches, regardless of how long the cell possessed unattached kinetochores. From these results we conclude that vertebrate somatic cells possess a metaphase-anaphase checkpoint control that monitors sister kinetochore attachment to the spindle. We also found that some cells treated with 0.3-0.75 nM Taxol, after the last kinetochore attached to the spindle, entered anaphase and completed normal poleward chromosome motion (anaphase A) up to 3 h after the treatment--well beyond the 9-48-min range exhibited by untreated cells. The fact that spindle bipolarity and the metaphase alignment of kinetochores are maintained in these cells, and that the chromosomes move poleward during anaphase, suggests that the checkpoint monitors more than just the attachment of microtubules at sister kinetochores or the metaphase alignment of chromosomes. Our data are most consistent with the hypothesis that the checkpoint monitors an increase in tension between kinetochores and their associated microtubules as biorientation occurs.
Dermatologic conditions of the vulva during menopause

As women age, vulva skin dysplasias and dermatoses become more common; however, the exact incidence has not been determined due to underreporting of these conditions. Pruritus and pain are the most common presenting symptoms. Vulvar dysplasias and dermatoses, although not life-threatening by themselves, may interrupt the woman’s quality of life by causing chronic irritative symptoms. A woman’s health-care provider plays a key role in screening, diagnosis, and treatment of these disorders. When a suspicious vulvar lesion is noted, biopsy is recommended for definitive diagnosis, and when available, biopsy interpretation by a dermatopathologist. Common elements of treatment include removal of offending agents and topical corticosteroid cream, an intervention effective for its anti-inflammatory and antipruritic effects.
Implementation of Host-Based Overlay Multicast to Support of Web Based Services for RT-DVS

Growing demand for use of Internet/Web-based services in real-time distributed virtual simulation (RT-DVS) and other real-time applications is fueling extensive interest in overlay multicast protocols. These applications demand Quality of Service (QoS) and many-to-many multicast services that are not available in underlying Internet services today. This paper describes an early implementation of an overlay multicast protocol designed to support many-to-many multicast for RT-DVS applications called Extensible Modeling and Simulation Framework Overlay Multicast (XOM). We first describe the architecture and key design considerations of XOM. We then provide preliminary results from lab experiments with our prototype. Our results indicate that we can achieve performance objectives for support of web-based services for RT-DVS.
The Relationship Between Test Anxiety, Drinking Patterns and Scholastic Achievement in a Group of Undergraduate College Men

(1965). The Relationship Between Test Anxiety, Drinking Patterns and Scholastic Achievement in a Group of Undergraduate College Men. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 73, No. 1, pp. 143-146.
Rendering Planar Cuts Through Quadratic and Cubic Finite Elements

Coloring higher order scientific data is problematic using standard linear methods as found in OpenGL. The visual results are inaccurate when there is a large scalar gradient over an element or when the scalar field is nonlinear. In addition to shading nonlinear data, fast and accurate rendering of planar cuts through parametric elements can be implemented using programmable shaders on current graphics hardware. The intersection of a planar cut with geometrically curved volume elements can be rendered using a combination of selective refinement and programmable shaders. This hybrid algorithm also handles curved 2D planar triangles.
Temperature-Dependent Conformational Changes in Herpes Simplex Virus ICP4 That Affect Transcription Activation

The C-terminal 500 amino acids of herpes simplex virus type 1 ICP4 are required for full activator function and viral growth and are known to participate in interactions consistent with the role of ICP4 as an activator of transcription. Oligonucleotide mutagenesis was used to target stretches of amino acids that are conserved with the ICP4 analogs of other alphaherpesviruses and were also predicted to be exposed on the surface of the molecule. Seven mutants were isolated that possessed one to three amino acid changes to the residue alanine in four regions between residues 1000 and 1200. The mutants generated were analyzed first in transfection assays and subsequently after introduction into the viral genome. A number of phenotypes representing different degrees of functional impairment were observed. In transient assays conducted at 37°C, mutant M2 was indistinguishable from wild-type ICP4. Mutants M6 and M7 were marginally impaired. M3, M4, and M5 were more significantly impaired but still able to activate transcription, and M1 was completely impaired. In the context of the viral genome, M1, M3, and M7 were found to be temperature sensitive for growth. All three overproduced immediate-early (IE) proteins at the nonpermissive temperature (NPT). M3 and M7 produced early but not late proteins, and M1 produced neither early nor late proteins, at the NPT. The ICP4 proteins synthesized by all of the mutants tested were able to bind to specific ICP4 binding sites in electrophoretic mobility shift experiments. However, the DNA-protein complexes formed with the ICP4 from M1, M3, or M7 produced at the NPT possessed altered mobility. These complexes were not supershifted by a monoclonal antibody that recognizes an epitope in the C terminus; however, they were supershifted by a monoclonal antibody that recognizes the N terminus. The results suggest that the mutant forms of ICP4, while able to bind to DNA, are conformationally altered at the NPT, thus impairing the ability of the protein to activate transcription to different extents. The complete lack of ICP4 function characteristic of the M1 protein, and the inability of all the mutants to attenuate IE gene expression, suggest that the mutations additionally affect functions of the N terminus to different extents.
Accurate Reliability Evaluation and Enhancement via Probabilistic Transfer Matrices

Soft errors are an increasingly serious problem for logic circuits. To estimate the effects of soft errors on such circuits, we develop a general computational framework based on probabilistic transfer matrices (PTMs). In particular, we apply them to evaluate circuit reliability in the presence of soft errors, which involves combining the PTMs of gates to form an overall circuit PTM. Information, such as output probabilities, the overall probability of error, and signal observability, can then be extracted from the circuit PTM. We employ algebraic decision diagrams (ADDs) to improve the efficiency of PTM operations. A particularly challenging technical problem, solved in our work, is to extend simultaneously tensor products and matrix multiplication in terms of ADDs to non-square matrices. Our PTM-based method enables accurate evaluation of reliability for moderately large circuits and can be extended by circuit partitioning. To demonstrate the power of the PTM approach, we apply it to several problems in fault-tolerant design and reliability improvement.
Risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism after heart transplantation: clinical outcomes comparing upper extremity deep vein thrombosis and lower extremity deep vein thrombosis

Introduction Heart transplant patients have risk factors that place them at higher risk for acute venous thromboembolism (VTE), which includes deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), than the general population. We assessed for rate of VTE and incidence of PE-related mortality among heart transplant patients. Materials and Methods A total of 1258 heart transplant patients were evaluated for the development of VTE. The diagnosis of DVT was made by Duplex ultrasonography, and PE was diagnosed by computerized tomography pulmonary angiography or ventilation–perfusion radionuclide scan. PE-related mortality was assessed at one yr, three yr, and five yr post-transplant. Results A total of 117 (9.3%) patients were diagnosed with DVT, including 65 of 117 (55.5%) with lower extremity DVT (LEDVT) and 52 of 117 (44.4%) with upper extremity DVT (UEDVT). A total of 24 (1.9%) patients experienced PE with seven (29.2%) resulting deaths. The rate of LEDVT and UEDVT was similar (55.5% vs. 44.4%); however, the incidence of PE was greater for those with LEDVT (23.1% vs. 7.7%; p = 0.04). Patients with PE had lower survival over the five-yr follow-up period compared to those with DVT only (67% vs. 81%; p = 0.51). Conclusion Heart transplant patients have a high incidence of VTE despite current best practice, indicating a need for a more aggressive approach to thromboprophylaxis.
Gastrointestinal necrosis in acute leukemia: a complication of induction therapy

Gastrointestinal complications in acute leukemia have been infrequently reported. Reported here is a review of all patients on the hematology teaching service with acute leukemia from 1974 to 1980 and those with intestinal complications. Of the 50 patients with acute leukemia, 14 (28%) developed an acute abdominal catastrophe. They presented with an acute surgical abdomen, diarrhea, gastrointestinal bleeding, and a paralytic ileus. All were granulocytopenic and thrombocytopenic. All but one episode was associated with the death of the patients; survival ranged from 4 to 26 days (median 9 days) after their last dose of chemotherapeutic drugs. Cytarabine was administered in 13 of the 14 patients. It is believed that bowel necrosis which causes death in acute leukemia occurs more frequently than previously thought. There is a close association of the clinical syndrome with chemotherapeutic drugs, especially cytarabine.
Transgenerational epigenetics in the germline cycle of Caenorhabditis elegans

Epigenetic mechanisms create variably stable changes in gene expression through the establishment of heritable states of chromatin architecture. While many epigenetic phenomena are, by definition, heritably passed through cell division during animal and plant development, evidence suggests that ‘epigenetic states’ may also be inherited across multiple generations. Work in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has uncovered a number of mechanisms that participate in regulating the transgenerational passage of epigenetic states. These mechanisms include some that establish and maintain heritable epigenetic information in the form of histone modifications, as well as those that filter the epigenetic information that is stably transmitted. The information appears to influence and help guide or regulate gene activity and repression in subsequent generations. Genome surveillance mechanisms guided by small RNAs appear to be involved in identifying and directing heritable repression of genomic elements, and thus may participate in filtering information that is inappropriate for stable transmission. This review will attempt to summarize recent findings that illustrate this simple nematode to be a truly elegant resource for defining emerging biological paradigms. As the cell lineage that links generations, the germline is the carrier of both genetic and epigenetic information. Like genetic information, information in the epigenome can heritably affect gene regulation and phenotype; yet unlike genetic information, the epigenome of the germ lineage is highly modified within each generation. Despite such alterations, some epigenetic information is highly stable across generations, leading to transgenerationally stable phenotypes that are unlinked to genetic changes. Studies in the nematode C. elegans have uncovered mechanisms that contribute to transgenerational repression as well as to the expression of genes that rely on histone modifying machinery and/or non-coding RNA-based mechanisms. These studies indicate that epigenetic mechanisms operating within the germ cell cycle of this organism filter and maintain an epigenetic memory that is required for germ cell function and can also influence gene expression in somatic lineages.
Gartland type-II supracondylar humeral fractures in children: commentary on an article by Luis Moraleda, MD, et al.: "Natural history of unreduced Gartland type-II supracondylar fractures of the humerus in children. a two to thirteen-year follow-up study".

Supracondylar fractures are quite common in children. For the orthopaedists who treat them, the choice of treatment has always been clear for the type-I fracture (simple immobilization) and for the type-III fracture (operative reduction and fixation). The more difficult decision has involved the type-II fracture. The use of less aggressive treatment is supported by arguments such as: “It doesn’t look that bad,” and “The extension deformity will likely remodel.” The use of more aggressive treatment is supported by arguments such as: “The extension deformity might not remodel,” and “It’s easier to reduce and fix now than to perform an osteotomy later.” So, what is the right thing to do? Hadlow et al. found that the use of pinning in forty-eight patients with a type-II supracondylar fracture would have resulted in …
Ethics in Nursing: The Caring Relationship, 3rd ed

By Verena Tschudin. Edinburgh: Butterworth Heinemann imprint of Elsevier Science Limited, 2003. 218 pages. Paperback.
FORAGING ECOLOGY OF NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEALS

Sexual segregation in foraging is predicted from the great size disparity of male and female northern elephant seals, Mirounga angustirostris. Our aim was to test this prediction by measuring diving and foraging behavior, foraging locations, and distribution of the sexes during biannual migrations in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Daily movements of 27 adult males and 20 adult females, during 56 migrations from Afio Nuevo, California, USA, were determined by Argos satellite telemetry via head-mounted platform transmitter terminals. Diving records were obtained with archival time-depth-speed recorders attached to the backs of seals that were recovered when the seals returned to the rookery. Pronounced sex differences were found in foraging location and foraging pattern, as reflected by hor- izontal transit speed and diving behavior. Males moved directly north or northwest at a mean speed of 90 ? 27 km/d to focal foraging areas along the continental margin ranging from coastal Oregon (534 km away) to the western Aleutian Islands (4775 km away). Males remained in these areas (mean size = 7892 ki2) for 21-84% of their 4-mo stays at sea. The predominance of flat-bottom dives in these areas suggests concentrated feeding on benthic prey. Migration distance and estimated mass gain were positively correlated with male size, and individual males returned to the same area to forage on subsequent migrations. In contrast, females ranged across a wider area of the northeastern Pacific, from 380 to 600 N and from the coast to 172.5? E. Focal foraging areas, indicated by a reduction in swim speed to <0.4 m/s, were distributed over deep water along the migratory path, with females remaining on them a mean of 3.5 d before moving to another one. Jagged-bottom dives that tracked the deep scattering layer prevailed in these areas, suggesting that females were feeding on pelagic prey in the water column. Females took roughly similar initial paths in subsequent migrations, but large deviations from the previous route were observed. We conclude that there is habitat segregation between the sexes. Females range widely over deep water, apparently foraging on patchily distributed, vertically migrating, pelagic prey, whereas males forage along the continental margin at the distal end of their migration in a manner consistent with feeding on benthic prey.
Adaptive finite element methods for nonlinear inverse problems

Nonlinear inverse problems are usually formulated as optimization problems on function spaces constrained by partial differential equations. As a consequence, in realistic, three-dimensional cases, they become extraordinarily expensive to solve numerically, and advanced methods like adaptive mesh refinement become indispensible. In this contribution, we outline such an adaptive algorithm and demonstrate results using a realistic example from optical tomography.
A complete algorithm for designing planar fixtures using modular components

We present an implemented algorithm that accepts a polygonal description of a part's silhouette, and efficiently constructs the set of all feasible fixture designs that kinematically constrain the part in the plane. Each fixture is composed of three locators rigidly attached to the lattice and one sliding clamp, and constrains the part without relying on friction. The algorithm is based on an efficient enumeration of admissible designs that exploits part geometry and graphical force analysis. The algorithm run time is linear in the number of designs found, which is bounded by a polynomial in the number of part edges and the part's maximal diameter in lattice units. Our review of the literature suggests that this is the first fixturing algorithm that is complete in the sense that it is guaranteed to find all admissible fixture designs for an arbitrary polygonal silhouette and to identify the optimal fixture relative to an arbitrary quality metric. The algorithm does not consider out-of-plane forces or motions; however, we view this planar result as an essential component of a larger algorithm that solves the 3D fixture design problem by treating the planar and out-of-plane constraint problems separately. This approach is analogous to the widely used 3-2-1 fixture design heuristic.
Long-Acting Depot Formulation of Luprolide Acetate as a Method of Hypothalamic Down Regulation for Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation and Oocyte Production in Macaca fascicularis

Reproductive function in some nonhuman primate species parallels that of the human. As a result, studies addressing aspects of reproductive function primarily involve the use of nonhuman primate models. The objective of the present study was to assess the efficiency of two hypothalamic down-regulation techniques combined with a single controlled ovarian hyperstimulation protocol for mature oocyte production in the cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fascicularis). Hypothalamic GnRH down regulation was first induced using the clinical long protocol of the short-acting GnRH-agonist luprolide acetate combined with controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and oocyte retrieval. Resulting oocyte yield and maturity with this regimen was insufficient for further evaluation of oocyte competency. Hypothalamic down regulation was induced in the second experiment using the long-acting depot formulation of luprolide acetate in conjunction with controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. This regimen allowed for the consistently efficient production of oocytes (15.5 oocytes per oocyte retrieval) and an oocyte maturity rate of 56%. Oocyte competence, as determined by the ability to undergo fertilization or parthenogenic activation and to reach specific cleavage stages at appropriate time intervals, was evaluated. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection resulted in a 59% fertilization rate and a 91% cleavage rate. Parthenogenic activation resulted in a 70% activation rate and an 86% cleavage rate. These data suggest that use of the long-acting form of luprolide acetate in conjunction with controlled ovarian hyperstimulation results in the production of competent, mature oocytes and allows the efficient use of nonhuman primate resources in studies of reproductive function in cynomolgus macaques.
Process Improvement: One Essential of a Quality System

Publisher Summary Federal guidance provided a new framework for blood establishments both donor centers and transfusion services to evaluate and improve the quality of their practices. The American Association of Blood Banks (AABB)—a volunteer professional association—including consensus standards for the practice of blood banking and transfusion medicine, translated the federal requirements into a workable and understandable quality system that together with the integration of ISO 9000 principles forms the basis for AABB accreditation, the premier recognition for adherence to the highest standards of transfusion medicine in the world. Generally, quality systems include the underlying quality control and quality assurance activities, with the added concept of organizational commitment to provide structure, procedures, and processes including quality or, more accurately, process improvements and resources. The AABB has organized an approach for achieving quality systems in blood banks and transfusion services by defining the quality system essentials (QSEs), choosing language that is consistent with ISO standards and the FDA's quality assurance guideline. The QSEs form the backbone or framework for a well-run organization. In addition, they can be used to understand the interrelationships between these essentials and the work being performed in any operation within the organization.
Multi-Wideband Waveform Design for Distance-Adaptive Wireless Communications in the Terahertz Band

Terahertz band communication is envisioned as a key technology to satisfy the increasing demand for ultra-high-speed wireless links. In this paper, a multi-wideband waveform design for the THz band is proposed, by exploiting the channel peculiarities including the distance-varying spectral windows, the delay spread and the temporal broadening effects. This scheme allows the dynamical variation of the rate and the transmit power on each sub-window and improves the distance. Moreover, the closed-form expressions of the signal-to-interference-plus-the-noise and bit-error-rate for the multi-wideband waveform are derived, by considering the inter-symbol and inter-band interferences. Then, an optimization framework is formulated to solve for the multi-wideband waveform design parameters of the transmit power and the number of frames, with the aim to maximize the communication distance while satisfying the rate and the transmit power constraints. Four sub-optimal solutions are proposed and compared. The results show that the SINR increases with the transmit power and the number of frames, at the cost of the power consumption and the rate decrease. With the transmit power of 10 dBm, the largest distance to support 10 Gbps for the multi-path propagation is 4 m, which is realized via the power allocation scheme to minimize the power/bit on each sub-window and is 10% improvement over the fixed scheme. However, for the directional transmission, this scheme under-exploits the transmit power severely. Instead, the allocation scheme that minimizes the number of frames outperforms the other three schemes. In terms of the maximum distance that achieves 30 Gbps, this scheme reaches 22.5 m.
Outdoor-to-Indoor Channel Dispersion and Power-Delay Profile Models for the 700-MHz and 4.9-GHz Bands

We present outdoor-to-indoor channel dispersion results based on measurements made in several representative urban environments. Root-mean-square delay spread values of less than 90 ns were extracted from measured power-delay profiles. We represent the power-delay profiles by exponential functions that can describe the multipath profiles for 700-MHz and 4.9-GHz frequency bands and extract a power-delay profile model for the 700-MHz band that utilizes seven taps.
Why The Pessimistic Induction Is A Fallacy

Putnam and Laudan separately argue that the falsity of past scientific theories gives us reason to doubt the truth of current theories. Their arguments have been highly influential, and have generated a significant literature over the past couple of decades. Most of this literature attempts to defend scientific realism by attacking the historical evidence on which the premises of the relevant argument are based. However, I argue that both Putnam's and Laudan's arguments are fallacious, and hence attacking their premises is unnecessary. The paper concludes with a discussion of the further historical evidence that would be required if the pessimistic induction is to present a serious threat to scientific realism.
Operations management tools applied to imaging services

1259 Learning Objectives 1. To define operations management (OM) and its role in imaging. 2. To define the steps in the continuous quality improvement cycle (CQI). 3. To define tools from OM and explain how these help the CQI cycle. 4. To show an implementation of the CQI cycle using OM that improved a PET/CT service. Operations management (OM) is an applied science that aids business managers in the efficient and effective use of resources used to create goods and services. We show how lessons from this field can be applied to help optimize an imaging service. The continuous quality improvement cycle (CQI) is key in this process. We define and illustrate tools from OM such as the Pareto and Fishbone diagrams that help turn the CQI cycle into a manageable process. As an example we present a CQI in PET/CT that allowed us to increase from 44% (during 2008-2009) to 85% (during the second half of 2012) the number of patients imaged within 10 minutes of the hour after injection of tracer, the current guideline under the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN).
Unlocking the role of the superior temporal gyrus for speech sound categorization

the ability to almost effortlessly encode the phonemic content of running speech is a remarkable capacity of the human brain. This remarkable capacity is emphasized by the brain's maintenance of phonemic stability despite pronounced variability in the spectral and temporal characteristics of a given
Quantification of Biological Effectiveness for Pesticides Against Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae)

A comprehensive method for evaluating direct and indirect mortality of acaricides to spider mites is presented. Technical improvements include use of lauryl sulfate as a surfactant, leaf disks of uniform size and quality, and a new method of assessing effectiveness of the acaricide that permits quantification of irritability. Uniform distribution of acaricide was assumed. Results using four contact acaricides on three strains of twospotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae Koch, demonstrated significant differences in quantification of effects in 25% of cases when irritability was included in analysis. Quantitative evaluation of the nature of observed irritability (i.e., threshold or dose/response) was also performed.
Wonder, Magic and the Fantastical Margins: Medieval Visual Culture and Cinematic Special Effects

What are the nature and power of special effects that induce such strong reactions in cinema spectators, and is it possible to find an analog to this contemporary fascination in the visual culture ...
Effects of dietary vitamin D and calcium on lysyl oxidase activity in chick bone metaphyses.

SummaryActivity of lysyl oxidase, an enzyme responsible for production of alde-hydic precursors for lysine-derived collagen crosslinks, was measured in tibial meta-physes from chicks receiving different dietary levels of vitamin D and Ca for 2 weeks after hatching. Enzyme activities were increased twofold in D-deficient chicks compared to activities from chicks receiving control levels of vitamin D. Addition of Ca to the D-deficient diet had no effect on lysyl oxidase activity. It is suggested that vitamin D may play a role in the age-related decrease in lysyl oxidase activity that normally occurs in chick bone.We thank Unni Kristoffersen, Catherine Lane, Rachel McNeil, and Lola Rigby for their technical assistance, and Jean Cochran for typing the manuscript. This investigation was supported by NIH Research Grant Number DE 02668 from the National Institute of Dental Research, and by NIH Grant Number RR 05333 from the Division of Research Facilities and Resources. One of us (W.G.) was supported by NIH Post...
Analysis of Epidemiological Characteristics of Hepatitis A from 1990 to 2008 in Xuancheng City

Objective To study the epidemic features of Hepatitis A,and provide scientific evidence for developing control measures against Hepatitis A.Methods Epidemiological analysis were conducted on the data of hepatitis A collected from 1990 to 2008.Results The average incidence was 65.40/100,000 from 1990 to 2008 and it dropped from 241.15/100,000 in 1991 to 2.00/100,000.The constituent ratio of hepatitis A in viral hepatitis declined from 65.41%in 1991 to 4.91% in 2008.Most cases were young,but with the trend of shifting to older age group.There were more male cases than female cases(1.60:1).The infected people were mainly peasants,students,workers and children dispersed but the proportion of students and children dispersed was gradually declining.There was no obvious season peak for the incidence of hepatitis A.Conclusion The prevention and control measures of hepatitis A proved to be successful in Xuancheng.In future young adults should be vaccinated of hepatitis A vaccine while the vaccinating for young children proceeded.
Antimony film electrode for determination of Sn using differential pulse stripping voltammetry

Objective:To establish a new method for determination of Sn2+ in presence of Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide(CTAB).Methods:Differential pulse stripping voltammetry with in situ diposited SbFE.Results:Under optimized conditions,it was showed a good relativity(r0.99).A linear response was obtained over the concentration range 10~120 μg/L and the lower detection limit was 0.50 μg/L.Conclusion:The data confirm that the stripping performance of antimony film electrode compares favorably to that of bismuth film electrodes and it is suitable for the determination of trace mental ions in real sample.
Transcript heterogeneity of the human reduced folate carrier results from the use of multiple promoters and variable splicing of alternative upstream exons

We previously identified three separate cDNAs (KS6, KS32 and KS43) for the human reduced folate carrier (RFC) with unique 5' untranslated regions (5' UTRs) [Wong, Proefke, Bhushan and Matherly (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 17468-17475]. Multiple RFC transcripts were confirmed in CCRF-CEM cells and transport-up-regulated K562.4CF cells by 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (5' RACE) and/or primer extension analysis. Two groups of 5' RACE clones were identified, one containing a variable length sequence identical with the KS43 cDNA 5' UTR, and another consisting of variants of the KS32 5' UTR, apparently generated by alternative splicing. The 5' UTR for the KS6 cDNA was not detected. A single band was detected on Southern blots of CCRF-CEM genomic DNA probed with a 326 bp genomic fragment common to all three cDNA species. The unique 5' UTRs for the KS43 and KS32 transcripts were localized to separate non-coding exons (exons 1 and 2 respectively), upstream from a large (approx. 3.42 kb) intron; the KS6 5'UTR also mapped to exon 1. Exons 1 and 2 were contiguous with 996 and 342 bp GC-rich 5' flanking regions (designated Pro43 and Pro32 respectively) that contained multiple SP1 and AP2 but no TATA or CAAT boxes. Both Pro43 and Pro32 exhibited strong promoter activities when cloned in front of a luciferase reporter gene and transfected into HT1080 and K562 cells. By an analysis of promoter deletion mutants we identified two 89 bp tandem repeats that seemed to increase Pro32 activity, and a 240 bp distal sequence that repressed Pro43 activity. Taken together, our results show that multiple human RFC transcripts are encoded by a single gene locus and that the heterogeneous 5' UTRs result from multiple transcriptional starts and variable splicing of alternative non-coding exons transcribed from separate promoters.
The personal computer invades higher education

Discusses the increasing usage of personal computers by students of technology in the United States.