cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rural-urban differences in unpaid caregivers of adults.

Introduction nnRuralnurban differences in the characteristics of unpaid caregivers of adults in the USA were explored. Methods nnUsing 'Caregiving in the U.S. 2015', a survey fielded by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, a national examination of rural caregivers (n=1352) is presented. Results nnRural caregivers reported lower socioeconomic status than urban caregivers (measured by income, education, and employment), suggesting greater likelihood of caregiver strain. In multivariable analysis adjusting for age, race, educational attainment, and reported caregiver burden, residence was associated with self-reported health status of the caregiver but not with physical, financial or emotional distress. The odds of rural caregivers reporting poor to fair health were significantly lower than their urban counterparts (adjusted odds ratio 0.57; 95% confidence interval, 0.36s0.91). Conclusions nnThese findings may indicate differing cultural values in rural and urban respondents, rather than better health among rural caregivers. Understanding the characteristics of rural caregivers may help policymakers target interventions.&nbsp.
Testing the impact of road network connectivity on criminal lethality

Increased road network connectivity has been linked to more positive outcomes among all health outcomes. Road network connectivity has yet to be tested in association with specifically criminal lethality. The current study looks to incorporate road network connectivity as an explanatory variable for criminal lethality. Data on Road Network Connectivity and Criminal Lethality are gathered for 190 cities. Data sources include the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), 2010 Census, 2010 American Community Survey, Google Earth, and Census Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) files. The data demonstrate that a city’s road network connectivity is related to decreases in the rates of lethality among assaults. Implications of this finding are discussed.
Comparison of Statistical Methods to Predict the Time to Complete a Series of Surgical Cases

We present a statistical model for predicting the time to complete a series of successive, elective surgical cases. The use of sample means of case times and turnover times when scheduling cases does not minimize the operating room labor costs associated with errors in predicting times to complete series of cases. The problem of minimizing associated labor costs (both under and over utilization) can be converted to the problem of least absolute deviation regression. The dependent variables are the times to complete series of cases. The independent variables are the numbers of cases in each series that are in various categories (i.e., combinations of scheduled procedures and surgeons). Although the computational method is preferred on theoretical grounds to that involving sample means, application of both methods shows that the more practical method is to use the sample means of previous case times and turnovers.
Coronary Circulation and Cardiac Metabolism

Angina pectoris was described clinically as long ago as the first century A.D., when Lucius Annaeus Seneca (86),the Roman stoic philosopher, faithfully recorded the symptoms of his own disease; but an understanding of the physiology of the coronary circulation, or even an appreciation of its clinical importance, was not achieved for another seventeen hundred years.
Suicide Risk for Sexual Minorities in Middle and Older Age: Evidence From the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

ABSTRACT Objective No studies have estimated the difference in suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts for lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) adults aged 50+ compared with heterosexuals using nationally representative data. Methods We used 2015–2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data to estimate the prevalence of self-reported suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts for LGB adults 50+ compared with heterosexuals in the preceding 12 months. Results Over 185,000 LGB adults aged 50+ in the United States were estimated to have had suicidal ideation in the preceding year. After adjusting for sex and race/ethnicity, LGB individuals aged 50+ had a 4.5 percentage point higher prevalence of suicidal ideation compared with heterosexuals (prevalence difference [PD]: 0.045; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.022, 0.067). Of those with suicidal ideation, LGB individuals aged 50+ had a 17.2 percentage point higher prevalence of suicide plans compared with heterosexuals (PD: 0.172; 95% CI: 0.011, 0.332). Conclusion LGB adults in middle and older age have higher suicidal ideation and plans than heterosexual peers.
Statistical Analysis of Dependent Observations in the Orthopaedic Sports Literature

Background:Orthopaedic research may involve multiple observations from the same patient because of bilateral joint involvement, multiple disease sites, or recurrent disease episodes. These situatio...
DECO: Joint Computation, Caching and Forwarding in Data-Centric Computing Networks

The emergence of IoT devices and the predicted increase in the number of data-driven and delay-sensitive applications highlight the importance of dispersed computing platforms (e.g. edge computing and fog computing) that can intelligently manage in-network computation and data placement. In this paper, we propose the DECO (Data-cEntric COmputation) framework for joint computation, caching, and request forwarding in data-centric computing networks. DECO utilizes a virtual control plane which operates on the demand rates for computation and data, and an actual plane which handles computation requests, data requests, data objects and computation results in the physical network. We present a throughput optimal policy within the virtual plane, and use it as a basis for adaptive and distributed computation, caching, and request forwarding in the actual plane. We demonstrate the superior performance of the DECO policy in terms of request satisfaction delay as compared with several baseline policies, through extensive numerical simulations over multiple network topologies.
Taking Natural Law Seriously Within the Liberal Tradition

This essay analyzes the relationship between rights and the rule of law through the investigation of the jurisprudence of three significant figures in the liberal tradition: Ronald Dworkin, Michael Oakeshott, and John Finnis. Dworkin’s approach, which attempts to defend natural rights and to contribute to improving the general communal welfare, is shown to result in a strong role for judges (with their presumptively better faculties of moral judgment) to navigate between protecting rights and the common good where the rule of law is put in the service of social evolution. Oakeshott’s ideal of civil association is explored as an example of a non-instrumental practice. Here the rule of law and political authority contribute to a mode of association that does not coerce or subordinate individuals’ self-chosen purposes to a communal one. Attempting to navigate between normative concerns and the proceduralism of a rule of law, Finnis’ natural law approach is shown to respect the universal human desire to flourish and the individual nature of that search embodied in our modern political vocabulary of rights. Law provides the necessary conditions for human flourishing and thus is both the symbolic and the real realm where we ceaselessly attempt to reconcile individual demands and collective needs in light of our limitations and views of the human good.
Adolescent Stress Increases Adult Ethanol Self-administration and Alters Ventral Tegmental Area GABA Signaling

Abstract Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) continue to be a significant public health problem. Early life stress and adversity have long-lasting effects on a wide range of behaviors, including responses to drugs of abuse. Epidemiological evidence indicates that exposure to early life stress contributes to alcohol use disorders and, while it is known that stress and alcohol both act on overlapping mesolimbic circuitry, the cellular mechanisms underlying the relationship between stress and alcohol intake are not well understood. Previous work has demonstrated that acute stress increases ethanol intake mediated by changes in GABA signaling within the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Here we investigated if adolescent stress exposure might elicit long-term, persistent increases in ethanol self-administration associated with altered VTA GABA signaling. To this end, we exposed adolescent postnatal day (PND) 28 male rats to 14 days of chronic variable stress (CVS) and then examined operant ethanol self-administration begun at least 30 days later. We found that adolescent stress exposure resulted in significantly increased ethanol self-administration in adulthood. In contrast, adult (PND 82) male rats exposed to the same CVS protocol did not display increased ethanol self-administration that was begun 30 days later. Furthermore, we found that adolescent stress exposure resulted in enhancement of ethanol-induced GABA signaling onto VTA dopamine neurons and impairments in VTA GABA chloride homeostasis. The results indicate that adolescence is a period vulnerable to stress, which produces long-term changes in VTA GABA signaling associated with increased ethanol self-administration behavior.
Collaborative, Open, Mobile: A Thematic Exploration of Best Practices at the Forefront of Digital Journalism

Based on interviews with 72 data journalists, web developers, interactive graphics editors, and project managers in leading digital newsrooms around the world, this paper spotlights common processes, workflows, and tools used in the creation of stories. Beset by cyclical and secular market pressures and presented with a dizzying array of new technologies for news gathering, publishing, and distribution, news media has undergone a sustained period of upheaval. These interviews, conducted through the Storybench project at Northeastern University’s School of Journalism, offer a uniquely comprehensive and up-to-date snapshot of news production and design practices. They also suggest that three key areas of emphasis have begun to emerge from the tumult. These include: highly networked, team-based collaboration; an ethos of open-source sharing, both within and between newsrooms; and mobile-driven story presentation.
Serum C-peptide and osteocalcin levels in children with recently diagnosed diabetes

Background We explored the association of C-peptide (marker of secreted insulin), proinsulin and proinsulin ⁄C-peptide ratio (PI/C) (markers of beta-cell endoplasmic reticulum [ER] stress) with undercarboxylated (uOC) and carboxylated osteocalcin (cOC) and their ratio (uOC/cOC) in children with recently diagnosed type 1 (T1D) or type 2 diabetes (T2D), and the correlation of these variables with partial remission (PR) in children with T1D. Methods Demographic and clinical data of children with new-onset diabetes (n = 68; median age = 12.2 years; 33.8% non-Hispanic White, 45.6% Hispanic/Latino, 16.2% African American and 4.4% other) were collected at diagnosis and during the first (V1), second (V2) and third clinical visits at 9.0, 32.0 and 175.7 weeks, respectively. Serum proinsulin, C-peptide, uOC and cOC values were measured 7.0 weeks after diagnosis. PR was defined as insulin dose-adjusted HbA1c (IDAA1c) ≤9. Results In children with new-onset T1D with DKA (33.3%) or T2D (29.4%), Spearman's correlation coefficient revealed a positive association between the C-peptide levels and both uOC and uOC/cOC ratio. In T1D (n = 48), both higher serum C-peptide levels and low PI:C ratio were associated with higher BMI percentile (β = 0.02, P = .001; β = -0.01, P = .02, respectively) and older age at diagnosis (β = 0.13, P = .001; β = -0.12, P = .001, respectively). Furthermore, in children with T1D, C-peptide levels at V1 correlated with IDAA1c ≤ 9 at V1 (P = .04). Conclusion C-peptide levels are associated with a higher uOC and uOC/cOC ratio in paediatric diabetes. In new-onset T1D children, older age and higher BMI were associated with lower beta-cell stress and higher preserved function, which was predictive of PR on follow-up.
Information at Work: Information Management in the Workplace

This book is highly recommended to add to academic library collections, especially those supporting a university with a library and information science program.
5.509 – Cell Encapsulation

Cell encapsulation systems are an important way to deliver healthy cells or replacement tissue to a defect site following injury. The use of ‘bioartificial organ’ strategies shows great promise in therapies for several diseases including diabetes mellitus, liver disease, neurological disease, cancer, and cartilage repair. A range of material/cell systems have been investigated for these cell encapsulation applications. Natural materials have several advantages including biocompatibility and the ability to promote cell functions such as adhesion, migration, and proliferation; however, material properties such as mechanics and porosity are difficult to control. Synthetic materials offer better control over material properties, but are often less cytocompatible and must be modified to induce specific cellular interactions. Cells used in these therapies include allogenic and xenogenic sources, stem cell sources, as well as cells genetically modified to deliver trophic and stimulatory factors. The novel use of natural and synthetic composite materials tailored for specific applications with respect to mechanics, adhesion, degradation, and porosity, combined with genetically engineered cells or stem cells, may offer a platform for cell-based therapies in tissue engineering.
Managing Mass Fatalities during COVID-19: Lessons for Promoting Community Resilience During Global Pandemics.

In the United States and around the world, COVID-19 represents a mass fatality incident, as there are more bodies than can be handled using existing resources. Although the management and disposition of bodies is distressing and heartrending, it is a task that local, state, and federal governments must plan for and respond to collaboratively with the private sector and faith-based community. When mass fatalities are mismanaged, there are grave emotional and mental health consequences that can delay recovery and undermine community resilience. Using insights from one of the author's mass fatality management research during the 2010 Haiti earthquake, this article explores how mass fatalities are being managed in response to COVID-19. Based on the researcher's findings a decade ago, it is apparent that many lessons have not been learnt. This article concludes by providing governments with practical lessons on how to manage mass fatalities to facilitate and promote community resilience.
The effects of systemic cyclosporine in acute Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis on ocular disease.

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the effect of systemic cyclosporine (CsA) on ocular disease in Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) patients. Methods In this retrospective, comparative cohort study at a single center, patients with a diagnosis of SJS/TEN and with at least 3 months of follow up were divided into two groups: those who received systemic CsA and those who did not receive systemic CsA. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and chronic ocular surface complications score (COCS) at final follow-up were compared between the two groups. Results The median age and follow-up period of patients was 29 years (range, 1.5–71 years) and 16.8 months (range, 3.67–91.58 months), respectively. BCVA, COCS, meibomian gland dysfunction, limbal stem cell deficiency, and the need for mucous membrane grafting and scleral lenses were not significantly different between patients who received systemic CsA as compared to patients who did not receive systemic CsA. Conclusions In this small cohort of patients with SJS/TEN, we could identify no association between the use of systemic CsA as a component of their initial therapy and chronic ocular complications.
Continued Prescribing of Periprocedural Codeine and Tramadol to Children after a Black Box Warning.

Abstract Background Codeine and tramadol are commonly used analgesics in surgery. In 2013, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a contraindication to the use of codeine in tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy patients aged below 18 y. This warning was expanded in April 2017 to include tramadol and all children aged below 12 y. We sought to describe the prescribing of codeine and tramadol to contraindicated populations in Wisconsin before and after the release of the expanded FDA warning. Materials and methods Using a statewide Wisconsin claims database, we identified common pediatric ambulatory surgical procedures across the specialties of otolaryngology, urology, general surgery, orthopedics, and ophthalmology. For these procedures, we examined the rates of perioperative codeine and tramadol prescription fills and change in prescribing after the FDA contraindication. Results Surgeons in all of the specialties studied continued to prescribe codeine to pediatric patients after the contraindication, but tramadol was rarely prescribed. Procedures with relatively high rates of codeine fills were strabismus repair (65% of opioid fills), circumcision >1 yo (22%), and laparoscopic appendectomy (15%). Codeine fills significantly declined after the contraindication to 6% for circumcision >1 yo and 5% for orchiopexy and inguinal hernia repair. Otolaryngology, which was subject to the 2013 codeine contraindication, has low rates of codeine fills (under 2.5%) for the whole period studied. Codeine prescribing for strabismus repair showed no significant decline. Conclusions Codeine, and to a lesser extent tramadol, continue to be prescribed to contraindicated populations of children. This represents a target for future de-implementation interventions.
Modeling Massive Social Network Problem Solving via Network Goal Analysis vs. Social Network Analysis

It is critical for organizations and their members to get questions answered and problems solved in service of objectives and innovation. For this reason, many utilize social input from massive onl...
A Reevaluation of the Agave kerchovei Complex (Asparagaceae/Agavoideae) Including Expanded Descriptions of Three Species

The taxonomy of the Agave kerchovei complex in the states of Puebla and Oaxaca is revisited, analyzed, and discussed, and the status of the names considered to be synonyms is explored and discussed. The status of names synonymized with A. kerchovei (A. convallis, A. dissimulans) is discussed considering new field data from the type localities, with the confirmation of A. convallis as a species as put forth by Garcia-Mendoza and reinstatement of A. dissimulans as a recognized species.
Mini-review: Trophic interactions between cancer cells and primary afferent neurons

Cancer neurobiology is an emerging discipline that inevitably unfurls new perspectives in oncology. The role that nerves play in cancer progression resonates with the long-reported dependency of tumors on neuro-molecular mechanisms that remain insufficiently elucidated. Whereas interactions between neurotrophic growth factors and receptors have been heavily studied in the nervous system, their expression in cancers and their impact on tumor cell growth and metastasis through their corresponding signaling pathways has been undervalued. Accumulating evidence suggests that trophic factors released by nerves strongly influence tumor development and that this neural contribution appears to not only play a stimulatory role but also function as an essential part of the tumor's microenvironment. This bidirectional communication between proliferating cells and tumor-infiltrating nerves drives axonogenesis and tumor growth and migration. Acquiring a better understanding of the trophic interactions between primary afferent neurons and invading tumors will guide clinically actionable strategies to prevent tumor-associated axonogenesis, disrupting the chemical crosstalk between neurons and tumors and ultimately decreasing tumor growth and spread.
Femoral Artery Thrombosis After Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization

Femoral artery thrombosis (FAT) is an adverse event post-catheterization. We decided to study the incidence and risk factors of FAT before and after initiation of a pulse loss monitoring program. All cardiac catheterization cases performed using femoral arterial vascular access were retrospectively reviewed. The study period was divided into two eras: before (era 1), and after the initiation of the protocol (era 2). The primary outcome was FAT requiring therapy. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with FAT. Receiver operating characteristic curve were generated to predict FAT. Our cohort consisted of 2,388 cases including 467 (19.6%) infants weighing < 10 kg. The overall incidence of FAT was 1.7% (n = 41). The incidence of FAT was 3.5 times higher in era 2 (p < 0.001). Multivariable model showed that era, weight, sheath exchange, and coarctation intervention were significantly associated with FAT. Infants younger than 7.7 months and less than 6.7 kg were found to be at highest risk for FAT. Our study shows that the incidence of FAT may be underestimated without a monitoring program. Small infants and coarctation interventions requiring larger sheaths or sheath exchanges are at highest risk for FAT.
Development of a divided pulse soliton self frequency shift source for multiline nonlinear imaging

We present a robust, multi-line, tunable and power scalable ultrashort optical source suitable for nonlinear optical imaging. A systematic characterization of the seed oscillator, pulse stretcher, pre-amp, and power-amp along with the methods of pulse compression, pulse division and the phenomenon of soliton self frequency shift through a photonic crystal fiber arepresented to make a tunable and multi-colored pulsed source capable of dual polarization and power-scalable operation.
Plume Dispersion in Four Pine Thinning Scenarios: Development of a Simple Pheromone Dispersion Model

A unique field campaign was conducted in 2004 to examine how changes in stand density may affect dispersion of insect pheromones in forest canopies. Over a 14-day period, 126 tracer tests were performed, and conditions ranged from an unthinned loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) canopy through a series of thinning scenarios with basal areas of 32.1, 23.0, and 16.1 m2ha-1. In this paper, one case study was used to visualize the nature of winds and plume diffusion. Also, a simple empirical model was developed to estimate maximum average concentration as a function of downwind distance, travel time, wind speed, and turbulence statistics at the source location. Predicted concentrations from the model were within a factor of 3 for 82.1 percent and 88.1 percent of the observed concentrations at downwind distances of 5 and 10 m, respectively. In addition, the model was used to generate a field chart to predict optimum spacing in arrays of anti-aggregation pheromone dispensers.
Microdissection and Analytical PCR for the Investigation of mtDNA Lesions

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of microdissection and analytical polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques and some example protocols applicable to the study of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). The minute amounts of DNA recoverable from microdissected samples, typically in the pico- to nanogram range, necessitate the use of specialized PCR-based protocols for analysis. Even within the spectrum of samples obtained using microdissection, mtDNA abundance can vary considerably from that extracted from a single cell to samples derived from multiple muscle fibers. Moreover, optimizing a microdissection and mtDNA analysis protocol usually requires some degree of experimentation. An important factor to bear in mind in relation to mtDNA analysis is the potential for the occurrence of mtDNA depletion or ΔmtDNA species in tissues of interest that can also impact PCR efficiency relative to normal tissues. Analytical PCR of microdissected samples is emerging as a powerful tool for investigating the biology of mtDNA. Clearly, for complex analyses, access to specialized equipment is required, but as institutional investment in tools, such as laser microdissection microscopes and real-time PCR machines increases, access within the mitochondrial research community will surely also increase. Application of these techniques to more diverse model systems and tissue archives can only benefit the field, both in terms of the understanding of mtDNA at the cellular level and in the development of improved analytical techniques. Obtaining sufficient DNA for analysis remains the most challenging aspect of working with microdissected samples.
Adenocarcinoma of the cervix and of the cervical stump

Abstract 1. 1. The incidence of adenocarcinoma of the cervix or of the cervical stump was 3.4 per cent in a series of 1,441 patients with carcinomas of the cervices or of the cervical stumps who were registered in the ten years, 1938 to 1947. 2. 2. Forty-two of the adenocarcinomas, when first seen, were Stage II, III, or IV. Histologic grading was, in all probability, inaccurate but the incidence of undifferentiated carcinomas was high. 3. 3. The average duration of symptoms before the patients were seen was nine months; the average delay in diagnosis and the starting of treatment was ten months. 4. 4. There were eleven (22 per cent) patients in this series of 50 who had adenocarcinomas of the cervical stumps. This incidence, with our high incidence of squamous-celled carcinomas in cervical stumps, strengthens our conviction that panhysterectomies are preferable to supravaginal hysterectomies. 5. 5. “Adequate” x-ray and radium therapy, as the only method of treatment, was given 18 patients. Two (11.1 per cent) are living; one has lived 36 months and one 96 months with no evidence of disease. The other 16 patients are either in the terminal stages of the disease, are dead, or are lost and counted as dead of cancer. 6. 6. Five patients had radical hysterectomies or radical removals of the cervical stumps and radical pelvic lymphadenectomies. Cancer was found in the cervices of four patients, in the uterus and vagina in one, and in the pelvic lymph nodes in four. All of these patients died of cancer. 7. 7. Seven patients had radical hysterectomies and radical pelvic lymphadenectomies. In one the left iliac nodes showed cancer; in the other six there were no positive nodes. This patient with positive nodes has lived 60 months and two other patients have lived 64 and 72 months, respectively, without evidence of cancer. The four other patients have lived 24, 8, 8, and 7 months, respectively, without evidence of cancer. 8. 8. There were no deaths in this series from either irradiation therapy or from operations. 9. 9. Of the thirteen (26 per cent) patients living at present without evidence of disease, only six (12 per cent) have reached or passed the five-year limit at which we list the patients as “presumptive” cures.
Multiple Roles and Stress Burden in Women: A Conceptual Model of Heart Disease Risk

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of mortality in adult women, and recent trends indicate that risk for women, particularly working mothers, has worsened during the last decade. The absence of a biological explanation for this gender discrepancy has led some to look to psychosocial risk factors. This literature review examines the effect of multiple roles on women’s cardiovascular health. Further, a conceptual model of heart disease risk is proposed, which introduces background stress, a chronic stress burden, as a potential pathway between multiple roles and heart disease. Trends in the literature largely support the proposed conceptual model. Multiple roles that often place conflicting demands on women may affect health outcomes through an increase in total background stress. jabr_ 4..22 Coronary heart disease (CHD), the most prevalent form of cardiovascular disease, is the leading cause of death and disability among women in developed and developing countries (American Heart Association, 2009). Traditionally considered a “man’s disease,” in the last three decades, more U.S. women than men have died of heart disease annually. Although women develop CHD later than men, once the disease manifests, women have no survival advantage over men. Moreover, women have higher mortality and morbidity rates than men following myocardial infarction (MI), a difference particularly evident in younger (<65) women as opposed to men (Vaccarino, Krumholz, Yarzebski, Gore, & Goldberg, 2001; Vaccarino et al., 2009). In addition, women have lower functional gains and higher readmission, mortality, and complication rates following coronary artery bypass graft surgery (Wenger, Shaw, & Vaccarino, 2008). Together these data suggest that there may be an underlying factor that accounts for these patterns in CHD risk, progression, and outcome. To date, studies on CHD risk factors, diagnosis, prognosis, and rehabilitation have largely focused on men (Fleury, Keller, & Murdaugh, 2000) and far less is
Therapeutic applications of carbon nanotubes: opportunities and challenges

Based on their physicochemical properties that allow efficient functionalization with biomolecules and cellular membrane translocation, as well as on their applications in Raman and near-infrared fluorescence imaging, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been proposed as viable candidates for developing therapeutic platforms that ensure targeting of tumor cells without affecting healthy cells. This article reviews the research on toxicological effects of CNTs on host cells, as well as their pharmacological profiles on cancer cells. The potential impact of this approach is discussed along with some potential pitfalls that will need to be overcome when therapeutic implementation CNTs are considered. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing financial interest.
Late-onset group B streptococcus infection in a preterm neonate

Early-onset group B streptococcus (GBS) is transmitted vertically from the birth canal of colonized mothers. The mode of transmission of late-onset GBS is less clear, although it is believed to reflect a delayed infection after early colonization from either vertical or horizontal transmission. We present a premature female infant whose mother was GBS negative at the time of delivery but later had GBS bacteriuria in postpartum. The infant had an initial blood culture and multiple weekly nasal surveillance cultures that were all negative for GBS. The infant’s nasal culture grew GBS after 25 days, 1 day after she had signs of sepsis and her blood grew GBS. This is the first case in preterm infants to demonstrate the horizontal transmission of late-onset GBS bacteremia without the need for early-onset colonization.
Creep Buckling of Circular Cylindrical Shells in Pure Bending

Abstract : The two simultaneous nonlinear first-order differential equations characterizing the problems that were derived by the senior author in a paper in 1956 and were at that time solved for a few cases by numerical integration are solved here analytically with the aid of a few simplifying assumptions. The very simple formula derived in this manner is used to compute the critical times of a series of shells tested in the laboratory. It is found that the formula predicts somewhat larger values for the critical time than the experimental results. (Author)
Severity of behavioral impairments and vascular dysfunction with chronic stress/depressive symptoms is increased by metabolic syndrome (676.7)

Chronic stress/depressive symptoms impair the normal patterns of vascular reactivity. However, they also can increase CVD risk owing to an elevation in markers of the metabolic syndrome (e.g., blood pressure, glycemic control, dyslipidemia). To interrogate this, we imposed 8 weeks of unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) onto lean (LZR) and obese (OZR) Zucker rats to determine their behavioral and vascular outcomes. UMCS resulted in depressive symptoms in LZR, including reduced chronic and stimulated grooming, learned helplessness, and increased plasma cortisol. A directionally consistent, although milder, effect was determined in control OZR. In ex vivo aortic rings and skeletal muscle arterioles, endothelium-dependent dilation was blunted by either metabolic syndrome (OZR) or imposition of UCMS (LZR) owing to increased ROS and TxA2 production. However, when OZR were exposed to UCMS, the severity of the depressive symptoms was increased, and dilator reactivity in conduit/resistance vessels was nearly ...
Parental Influence On Creativity of Fifth Grade Children

In a study of the relationship between children and parents' scores on the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT). Sixty-five fifth-grade children and 121 parents were administered the TTCT. There were no significant correlations between scores for mothers and children. There were significant correlations between scores for fathers and children and mothers and fathers.
Nanoscale modification of silicon surfaces via Coulomb explosion

Coulomb explosions on silicon surfaces are studied using large-scale molecular-dynamics simulations. Processes under investigation begin by embedding a region consisting of 265--365 singly charged ${\mathrm{Si}}^{+}$ ions on a Si [111] surface. The repulsive electrostatic energy, initially stored in the charged region, leads to a local state with ultrahigh pressure and stress. During the relaxation process, part of the potential energy propagates into the surrounding region while the remainder is converted to kinetic energy, resulting in a Coulomb explosion. Within less than 1.0 ps, a nanometer-sized hole on the surface is formed. A full analysis of the density, temperature, pressure, and energy distribution as functions of time reveals the time evolution of physical properties of the systems related to the violent explosive event. A shock wave that propagates in the substrate is formed during the first stage of the explosion, 0100 fs. The speed of the shock wave is twice the average speed of sound. After the initial shock the extreme nonequilibrium conditions leads to ultrarapid evaporation of Si atoms from the surface. Qualitatively similar features are observed on a smaller scale when the number of initial surface charges is reduced to 100. Our simulations demonstrate the details of a process that can lead to permanent structure on a semiconductor surface at the nanoscale level. The work reported here provides physical insights for experimental investigations of the effects of slow, highly charged ions (Qg40, e.g.) on semiconductor materials.
Gulf Coast Community College's Memory Project.

Abstract Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, Florida, is celebrating a fifty-year anniversary in 2007. Maintained by the library, the school' archives represent the historical contributions on a local and national level. Gulf Coast Community College library is ensuring the school' historical significance through the digitization of its materials. This article describes an archival project including sorting, preservation, and digitizing the school' photographic and paper documents using ContentDM. Excerpts of speeches delivered by Dr. Ted W. Booker, the first president of Gulf Coast are included. Currently, the electronic access is only available online through the school' intrant. Early in 2007, Gulf Coast' Memory Project will be available via the World Wide Web.
International cooperative technology arrangements: Improving their role in competitive strategy

Abstract This article uses a strategic management perspective to examine ways in which firms may fail when undertaking international cooperative technology arrangements (ICTAs) between sovereign firms. Called by several names, e.g. strategic alliances, joint ventures, or cooperative engagements, these hybrid organizational forms have various degrees of engagement between partners and share a central mission of acquiring and/or exploiting new technology. The implementation of such a decision has serious implications for the strategy of the firm. Decisions regarding technology strategy are often driven by technologically oriented managers within the firm who may or may not include strategic issues in their consideration. This exploratory field research found that many European managers spent substantial amounts of time working to prevent disaster in ICTAs rather than concentrating on success and that from a strategic management viewpoint, success was difficult. From field interviews, personal experience, and the literature, this article develops several hypotheses about essential components for success in ICTAs, a strategic management framework of developmental and implementation issues, and suggests areas of future research.
Preparation and Characterization of Alkenyl Aryl Tetrafluoro-λ6-sulfanes

Substituted alkenyl aryl tetrafluoro-λ6-sulfanes have been prepared by the direct addition of readily accessible chlorotetrafluorosulfanyl arenes to primary alkynes. Substitution of an apical fluorine of the pentafluorosulfanyl group enables modulation of the reactivity of this little explored functional group while at the same time facilitating the direct investigation of aryl substituent effects on the aryl tetrafluorosulfanyl-substituted products.
Pharmacokinetics of buprenorphine following intravenous and buccal administration in cats, and effects on thermal threshold.

This study reports the pharmacokinetics of buprenorphine, following i.v. and buccal administration, and the relationship between buprenorphine concentration and its effect on thermal threshold. Buprenorphine (20 μg/kg) was administered intravenously or buccally to six cats. Thermal threshold was determined, and arterial blood sampled prior to, and at various times up to 24 h following drug administration. Plasma buprenorphine concentration was determined using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Compartment models were fitted to the time-concentration data. Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic models were fitted to the concentration-thermal threshold data. Thermal threshold was significantly higher than baseline 44 min after buccal administration, and 7, 24, and 104 min after i.v. administration. A two- and three-compartment model best fitted the data following buccal and i.v. administration, respectively. Following i.v. administration, mean ± SD volume of distribution at steady-state (L/kg), clearance (mL·min/kg), and terminal half-life (h) were 11.6 ± 8.5, 23.8 ± 3.5, and 9.8 ± 3.5. Following buccal administration, absorption half-life was 23.7 ± 9.1 min, and terminal half-life was 8.9 ± 4.9 h. An effect-compartment model with a simple effect maximum model best predicted the time-course of the effect of buprenorphine on thermal threshold. Median (range) ke0 and EC50 were 0.003 (0.002-0.018)/min and 0.599 (0.073-1.628) ng/mL (i.v.), and 0.017 (0.002-0.023)/min and 0.429 (0.144-0.556) ng/mL (buccal).
Reevaluation of the phospholipid composition in membranes of adult human lenses by (31)P NMR and MALDI MS.

Abstract The phospholipid composition of adult human lens membranes differs dramatically from that of any other mammalian membrane. Due to minimal cell turnover, cells in the nucleus of the human lens may be considered as the longest lived cells in our body. This work reassesses previous assignments of phospholipid 31 P NMR resonances in adult human lenses. The new assignments are based not only on chemical shifts but also on temperature coefficients. By addition of known phospholipids and examination by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry, several misassigned resonances have been corrected. The revised composition reveals the possible presence of ceramide-1-phosphate and dihydroceramide-1-phosphate. Among glycerophospholipids, the most abundant one does not correspond to phosphatidylglycerol but may be due to the lysoform of alkyl–acyl analogs of phosphatidylethanolamine. Besides sphingophospholipids, adult human lens membranes contain significant amounts of ether (1- O -alkyl) glycerophospholipids and their corresponding lysoforms.
Empowering open systems through cross-platform interoperability

Most of the motivations for open systems lie in the expectation of interoperability, sometimes referred to as “plug-and-play”. Nothing in the notion of “open-ness”, however, guarantees this outcome, which makes the increased interest in open architecture more perplexing. In this paper, we explore certain themes of open architecture. We introduce the concept of “windows of interoperability”, which can be used to align disparate portions of architecture. Such “windows of interoperability”, which concentrate on a reduced set of protocol and interface features, might achieve many of the broader purposes assigned as benefits in open architecture. Since it is possible to engineer proprietary systems that interoperate effectively, this nuanced definition of interoperability may in fact be a more important concept to understand and nurture for effective systems engineering and maintenance.
Fast Hough transform on a mesh connected processor array

We present a method on a mesh connected torus processor array that computes the Hough transform in O(n) time
Obtaining ground-truth software architectures

Undocumented evolution of a software system and its underlying architecture drives the need for the architecture's recovery from the system's implementation-level artifacts. While a number of recovery techniques have been proposed, they suffer from known inaccuracies. Furthermore, these techniques are difficult to evaluate due to a lack of “ground-truth” architectures that are known to be accurate. To address this problem, we argue for establishing a suite of ground-truth architectures, using a recovery framework proposed in our recent work. This framework considers domain-, application-, and context-specific information about a system, and addresses an inherent obstacle in establishing a ground-truth architecture - the limited availability of engineers who are closely familiar with the system in question. In this paper, we present our experience in recovering the ground-truth architectures of four open-source systems. We discuss the primary insights gained in the process, analyze the characteristics of the obtained ground-truth architectures, and reflect on the involvement of the systems' engineers in a limited but critical fashion. Our findings suggest the practical feasibility of obtaining ground-truth architectures for large systems and encourage future efforts directed at establishing a large scale repository of such architectures.
Redox modulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase by glutaredoxin-1 through reversible oxidative post-translational modification.

S-glutathionylation is a redox-regulated modification that uncouples eNOS, switching its function from NO synthesis to •O2− generation, and serves to regulate vascular function. While in vitro or in vivo eNOS S-glutathionylation with modification of Cys689 and Cys908 of its reductase domain is triggered by high levels of GSSG or oxidative thiyl radical formation, it remains unclear how this process may be reversed. Glutaredoxin-1 (Grx1), a cytosolic/glutathione-dependent enzyme, can reverse protein S-glutathionylation; however, its role in regulating eNOS S-glutathionylation remains unknown. We demonstrate that Grx1 in the presence of GSH (1 mM) reverses GSSG-mediated eNOS S-glutathionylation with restoration of NO synthase activity. Since Grx1 also catalyzes protein S-glutathionylation with increased [GSSG]/[GSH], we measured its effect on eNOS-S-glutathionylation when [GSSG]/[GSH] was > 0.2, as can occur in cells and tissues under oxidative stress, and observed increased eNOS S-glutathionylation with a marked decrease in eNOS activity without uncoupling. This eNOS S-glutathionylation was reversed with decrease in [GSSG]/[GSH] to < 0.1. LC/MS/MS identified a new site of eNOS S-glutathionylation by Grx1 at Cys382, on the surface of the oxygenase domain, without modification of Cys689 or Cys908 that are buried within the reductase. Furthermore, Grx1 was demonstrated to be a protein partner of eNOS in vitro and in normal endothelial cells, supporting its role in eNOS redox-regulation. In endothelial cells, Grx1 inhibition or gene silencing increased eNOS S-glutathionylation and decreased cellular NO generation. Thus, Grx1 can exert an important role in the redox-regulation of eNOS in cells.
Channel Sounding and Parameter Estimation for a Wideband Correlation-Based MIMO Model

Previous correlation-based wideband multiple-input–multiple-output (MIMO) channel models have been limited to non-line-of-sight (NLoS) scenarios where simple antenna correlation measurements are sufficient to describe the correlated Gaussian process representing the fading statistics. However, in the presence of line-of-sight (LoS) or specular reflections, simple antenna correlation measurements unfortunately do not lead to accurate fading characterizations. In this paper, we propose a trend-stationary correlation-based analytical model for wideband LoS and NLoS MIMO channels and design and validate a wideband multitone MIMO channel sounder and estimator to, respectively, measure channel impulse responses (CIRs) and estimate channel parameters for this model. Joint maximum-likelihood (ML) estimation of the LoS component and the NLoS complex correlation matrix is presented. In addition to enabling the estimation of the path correlation matrix of a wireless channel in the presence of LoS components, the modeling approach also provides tools to evaluate the validity of the assumption of uncorrelated scattering (US), even in LoS environments, which is commonly used in channel modeling. A more general model that does not assume US is also presented, which can likewise be estimated using the proposed estimator. To validate the channel sounding/model estimator techniques, we employ channel sounding waveforms and collect snapshots from the outputs of a state-of-the-art hardware MIMO channel emulator capable of emulating multipath channels under the US assumption. Receiver signal processing and channel parameter estimation are performed on the collected data, and the results are compared with the emulated channel parameters. The work is unique in that it provides a correlation-based multipath MIMO channel modeling approach that addresses LoS environments, it describes corresponding estimation techniques to extract the full complex correlation matrix, and the model estimators are backed using channel sounding with emulation-based validation.
Effects of pinealectomy on SCN electrical firing rhythm in Djungarian hamsters

Abstract Djungarian hamsters ( Phodopus sungorus ) from a long day photoperiod (16:8 h light-dark cycle) were either pinealectomized (PINX; n =7) or sham-pinealectomized (SHAM; n =6). One week after surgery coronal brain slices (500 μ m), containing the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), were prepared. The firing-rate rhythm of SCN neurons was recorded over at least a 22 h period. The amplitude of the firing rhythm for SHAM slices (3.42±0.26 Hz) was not significantly different from PINX slices (3.45±0.29 Hz). Maxima and minima of the firing rhythms also could not be distinguished statistically between PINX and SHAM groups. However, two-way ANOVA of 2 h firing-rate averages indicated a statistically significant effect of pinealectomy on the firing rhythm ( P