cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MULTICULTURAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE MOTIVATION OF STUDENTS IN TEACHING PHYSICAL EDUCATION

With the rollover of a new century, society in America has become more dynamic. These changes in student demographics throughout the U.S. have spawned an increased need for awareness by teachers for their students’ needs across curriculums. This study examined attitudes of high school students toward fitness and sports activities taught in physical education, and the perceived effectiveness of their physical education curriculum for improving their fitness and skill levels. This research has focused on providing teachers with multicultural training with the hope that through this training, teachers will convey the importance of respect and sensitivity for all cultures to their students. Overall, successful physical education teachers in the culturally diverse school setting (e.g., urban schools) tend to maintain high expectations for student accomplishment, provide the best possible learning environments, and implement activities that aid increased student involvement.
Long-term Effects of Hypothermic Ex Situ Perfusion on Skeletal Muscle Metabolism, Structure, and Force Generation After Transplantation.

BACKGROUND Hypothermic ex situ perfusion (HESP) systems are used to prolong allograft survival in solid organ transplantations and have been shown to be superior to static cold storage (SCS) methods. However, the effect of this preservation method on limb allograft survival and long-term function has not yet been tested. In this study, we investigated the long-term effects of the HESP on skeletal muscle metabolism, structure, and force generation and compared it with the current standard of preservation. METHODS Forty male Lewis rats (250 ± 25 g) were divided into 5 groups, including naive control, sciatic nerve transection or repair, immediate transplantation, SCS, and HESP. For the SCS group, limbs were preserved at 4°C for 6 hours. In the HESP group, limbs were continuously perfused with oxygenated histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solution at 10-15°C for 6 hours. Hemodynamic and biochemical parameters of perfusion were recorded throughout the experiment. At 12 weeks, electromyography and muscle force measurements (maximum twitch and tetanic forces) were obtained along with muscle samples for histology and metabolomics analysis. RESULTS Histology demonstrated 48% myocyte injury in the HESP group compared with 49% in immediate transplantation (P = 0.96) and 74% in the SCS groups (P < 0.05). The maximum twitch force measurement revealed a significantly higher force in the HESP group compared with the SCS group (P = 0.029). Essential amino acid levels of the gastrocnemius muscle did not reach significance, with the exception of higher proline levels in the HESP group. CONCLUSIONS HESP using HTK protects viability of the limb but fails to restore muscle force in the long term.
Synaptic Integration Within Postsynaptic Neurons

Abstract Synaptic integration is the postsynaptic process of collecting information from many presynaptic inputs and combining them to determine the output of the postsynaptic neuron. In its most basic form, this concept can be reduced to a single question: how much synaptic input, and at what location on a neuron, is required to generate an action potential in a postsynaptic neuron?
Short-Term Clinical and Quality Outcomes Have Inconsistent Changes From a Quality Improvement Initiative to Increase Access to Physical Therapy in the Cardiovascular and Surgical ICU

Studies of mobility during critical illness have mostly examined transitions from immobility (passive activities) or limited mobility to active "early mobility." Design Observational analysis of a quality improvement initiative. Setting Two ICUs (surgical ICU, cardiovascular ICU) at a tertiary academic medical center. Patients Critically ill surgical and cardiovascular patients. Interventions Doubling available physical therapy. Measurements and main results We examined the outcomes of therapy time/patient/day, ICU and hospital length of stay, disposition location, and change in functional status. We adjusted for age, sex, illness severity, and number of surgeries. Among 1,515 patients (703 baseline, 812 quality improvement), total therapy time increased from 71,994 to 115,389 minutes and from 42,985 to 93,015 minutes, respectively, in each ICU. In the cardiovascular ICU per patient therapy increased 17% (95% CI, -4.9 to 43.9; p = 0.13), and in the surgical ICU, 26% (95% CI, -1 to 59.4; p = 0.06). In the cardiovascular ICU, there was a 27.4% decrease (95% CI, -52.5 to 10.3; p = 0.13) in ICU length of stay, and a 12.4% decrease (95% CI, -37.9 to 23.3; p = 0.45) in total length of stay, whereas in the surgical ICU, the adjusted ICU length of stay increased 19.9% (95% CI, -31.6 to 108.6; p = 0.52) and total length of stay increased 52.8% (95% CI, 1.0-130.2; p = 0.04). The odds of a lower level of care discharge did not change in either ICU (cardiovascular ICU: 2.6 [95% CI, 0.6-12.2; p = 0.22]); surgical ICU: 3.6 [95% CI, 0.9-15.4; p = 0.08]). Conclusions Among diverse cardiothoracic and surgical patients, a quality improvement initiative doubling physical therapy shifts is associated with increased total administered therapy time, but when distributed among a greater number of patients during the quality improvement period, the increase is tempered. This was not associated with consistent changes in ICU length of stay or changes in disposition location.
Formation of Supraparticles and Their Application in Catalysis

Monodisperse supraparticles has been an emerging hot research topic in the fields of chemistry, materials science, and nanotechnology in the past several years. Great attention has been paid to con...
Online clinical learning for interprofessional collaborative primary care practice in a refugee Community-Centered Health Home

Abstract Background Interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) have the potential to decrease health disparities and lower health costs for vulnerable populations. An across-site and across-system federally funded IPCP project developed, implemented, and evaluated a model of IPE, targeting future and practicing health care professionals, preparing them to meet the health needs of local refugees and bridge currently siloed healthcare delivery systems. Purpose One project goal was to evaluate the effectiveness of two online clinical learning modules for staff and students about IPCP competencies and refugee culture and health. Method Two online pre-/post-surveys were used to evaluate participants’ IPCP competencies and collaboration levels and one pre-/post-survey was used to evaluate understanding of refugee culture and health. Discussion Participants’ knowledge about refugee culture and health improved significantly. Overall IPCP competencies and collaboration levels showed positive trends. Conclusions These online clinical learning modules were effective for staff and students.
CHAPTER XIV – THE CARDIA

Publisher Summary In man there is no special band of circular muscle at the cardia marked off by partitions of connective tissue. However, there is some sphincteric action at the point where the esophagus joins the stomach. In some persons, this sphincteric action is weaker than in others, and perhaps partly because of this they regurgitate or vomit with ease, and even ruminate. A weakness of the cardiac sphincter in man and most mammals is probably an inheritance from the many lower animals in which there is little, if any, division between the cavities of the esophagus and stomach. Furthermore, a strong cardiac sphincter is not so necessary in men and apes who remain upright much of the time. Bats, which hang upside down, and sloths, which hang in a horizontal position, have a strong cardiac sphincter. Regurgitation of gastric contents through the cardia is probably physiologic in certain animals and perhaps even in man.
Ask and You May Receive: Senators’ Strategies for Securing Particularistic Benefits

How do congressional leaders efficiently distribute particularistic benefits? When allocating funding, they face a problem: they want to help the rank-and-file, but do not know what projects are mo...
The relationship between age and short-term complications following reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for proximal humerus fractures

Abstract Background Proximal humerus fractures (PHFx) are common orthopedic injuries among the elderly. Although nonoperative management remains the primary treatment modality, more than one-third of PHFx are now treated surgically. Over the past decade, reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) has gained popularity as a treatment option for PHFx, both in elderly patients with complex fractures and patients younger than 65 years. While the age range of patients undergoing RTSA for PHFx has expanded, little is known about the impact of age on postoperative complications. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between age and 30-day complication rates following RTSA for PHFx. Methods The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for patients who underwent RTSA for PHFx between 2006 and 2018. Patient demographic data, surgical characteristics, and adverse outcomes were extracted. Patients were divided into four cohorts by age ( 85 years), and univariate as well as multivariate analyses were performed. Results A total of 1099 patients were identified with a mean age of 72.7 years. Overall, 6.73% of patients experienced one or more complications. Mean operative duration decreased with age (135 minutes in the 85 years old cohort, P 85 years old cohort, P 85 years old cohorts. Age >75 years, preoperative dependent functional status, and ASA class 3 or 4 were found to be independent risk factors for perioperative blood transfusion. Age ≥65 years, female gender, congestive heart failure, preoperative dependent functional status, and ASA class 3 or 4 were found to be independent risk factors for non-home discharge. The rate of unplanned hospital readmission was highest in the >85 years old cohort (17.65%), though this difference did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions While RTSA appears to be a safe treatment option for PHFx in appropriately selected elderly patients, a longer hospitalization and more frequent non-home discharge should be anticipated. Additionally, elderly patients should be closely monitored for postoperative anemia. Level of evidence Level III; Retrospective Cohort Study
Reducing crime by remediating vacant lots: the moderating effect of nearby land uses

Place-based blight remediation programs have gained popularity in recent years as a crime reduction approach. This study estimated the impact of a citywide vacant lot greening program in Philadelphia on changes in crime over multiple years, and whether the effects were moderated by nearby land uses. The vacant lot greening program was assessed using quasi-experimental and experimental designs. Entropy distance weighting was used in the quasi-experimental analysis to match control lots to be comparable to greened lots on pre-existing crime trends. Fixed-effects difference-in-differences models were used to estimate the impact of the vacant lot greening program in quasi-experimental and experimental analyses. Vacant lot greening was estimated to reduce total crime and multiple subcategories in both the quasi-experimental and experimental evaluations. Remediating vacant lots had a smaller effect on reducing crime when they were located nearby train stations and alcohol outlets. The crime reductions from vacant lot remediations were larger when they were located near areas of active businesses. There is some suggestive evidence that the effects of vacant lot greening are larger when located in neighborhoods with higher pre-intervention levels of social cohesion. The findings suggest that vacant lot greening provides a sustainable approach to reducing crime in disadvantaged neighborhoods, and the effects may vary by different surrounding land uses. To better understand the mechanisms through which place-based blight remediation interventions reduce crime, future research should measure human activities and neighborly socialization in and around places before and after remediation efforts are implemented.
A Push or a Nudge: Understanding Consumer Perceptions of Sales Pressure

The authors share recent research related to consumer perceptions of high pressure sales tactics. A model was developed depicting two types of sales pressure: aggressive and directive, both of which impact consumers’ trust in, and satisfaction with, the salesperson and the company. Aggressive pressure has a negative impact while directive pressure may be positive, as the consumer views the salesperson as helpful in addressing their needs. Directive sales pressure is much less damaging to desirable marketing outcomes. The authors developed a scale to measure perceptions of sales pressure. This scale can be added to any customer satisfaction survey. The results can be used in sales training.
An early warning sign: trophic structure changes in the oceanic Gulf of Mexico from 2011—2018

Abstract Ecosystem-based modeling is rapidly becoming an established technique to investigate the health and stability of ecosystems. In the Gulf of Mexico, ecosystem models are applied to neritic systems, but less focus has been placed on the oceanic domain. Since 2011, severe declines have been observed in many micronekton groups that occupy the mesopelagic zone (200 – 1000 m depth). Here we present an ecosystem model for the oceanic northern Gulf of Mexico for the year 2011, simulate that model according to micronekton trends through 2018, and quantify the top-down and bottom-up impacts that each functional group has on one another. These trends were examined to determine whether interactions between the two groups have changed directionally over time. In 2011, zooplankton (trophic level =2) occupied greater than one-third of the total metazoan biomass, and also 40% of the total energy throughput ascended to higher trophic levels in the system. Of the 1849 possible functional group interactions (most of which are indirect), approximately 27% showed significant changes between 2011 and 2018, which were related to shifts in biomass and diet throughout the simulation. Direct top-down interactions changed more frequently than other types of trophic relationships. The frequency of direct changes that occurred in the simulation was not observed evenly among all functional groups, as opposed to indirect interactions. These changes between functional group interactions can be used to further examine potential shifts in the trophic structure of marine ecosystems under various forcing scenarios.
CML Therapy: A Focus on Second- and Third-Generation Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) represents 15% of newly diagnosed leukemia cases. In the United States, about 9000 new CML cases are diagnosed annually [1]. BCR-ABL1-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have vastly changed the treatment and prognosis of CML. Before the introduction of TKIs, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) was the only known cure for CML. However, due to the advanced age of most patients with CML, this treatment modality was utilized in a small proportion of patients and mortality remained high. The TKIs have transformed CML into a manageable chronic disease state and have decreased the annual mortality to less than 2%. Thus, the prevalence of CML will continue to increase annually until the annual incidence equals the annual mortality, with an estimated potential plateau prevalence of 300,000–500,000 cases in the United States. There are currently five approved TKIs in the United States and in Europe. These include imatinib, dasatinib, nilotinib, bosutinib, and ponatinib. While imatinib changed the landscape of CML treatment drastically, the low rates of molecular response in addition to the high rates of discontinuation due to adverse effects led to the development of second- and third-generation TKIs. These TKIs are more potent than imatinib, have unique adverse effect profiles, and have activity against different molecular mutations, all of which must be considered when choosing a therapeutic agent. This chapter discusses the second- and third-generation TKIs and their role in CML therapy.
Natriuretic Peptide Levels and Clinical Outcomes Among Patients Hospitalized With Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection

OBJECTIVES: There is increasing evidence of cardiovascular morbidity associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (coronavirus disease 2019). Pro-B-type natriuretic peptide is a biomarker of myocardial stress, associated with various respiratory and cardiac outcomes. We hypothesized that pro-B-type natriuretic peptide level would be associated with mortality and clinical outcomes in hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 patients. DESIGN: We performed a retrospective analysis using adjusted logistic and linear regression to assess the association of admission pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (analyzed by both cutoff > 125 pg/mL and log transformed pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) with clinical outcomes. We additionally treated body mass index, a confounder of both pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels and coronavirus disease 2019 outcomes, as an ordinal variable. SETTING: We reviewed hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 who had a pro-B-type natriuretic peptide level measured within 48 hours of admission between March 1, and August 31, 2020, from a multihospital U.S. health system. PATIENTS: Adult patients (>= 18 yr old;n = 1232) with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 admitted to the health system. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: After adjustment for demographics, comorbidities, and troponin I level, higher pro-B-type natriuretic peptide level was significantly associated with death and secondary outcomes of new heart failure, length of stay, ICU duration, and need for ventilation among hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 patients. This significance persisted after adjustment for body mass index as an ordinal variable. The adjusted hazard ratio of death for log transformed pro-B-type natriuretic peptide was 1.56 (95% CI, 1.23-1.97;p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Further investigation is warranted on the utility of pro-B-type natriuretic peptide for clinical prognostication in coronavirus disease 2019 as well as implications of abnormal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide in the underlying pathophysiology of coronavirus disease 2019-related myocardial injury.
Empowering patients: simplifying discharge instructions.

Patients who do not have enough information about their discharge plans have decreased treatment compliance, decreased patient safety, increased emergency department (ED) recidivism, and poor satisfaction. This project aimed to develop and implement a method to assess and improve patient understanding of treatment and discharge plan in the ED. The authors developed a questionnaire to assess patient knowledge using Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Joint Commission recommendations, areas of communication deficits reported in other manuscripts, and ED staff and provider input. Responses from patient interviews were then scored against the medical record. Three trained scorers graded all responses, and inter-rater reliability was calculated using the kappa statistic. Baseline observations found that written discharge instructions were long and tedious, and important information was difficult to find. Based on initial patient scores, stakeholder interviews, and fishbone diagrams, the team developed a one-page simplified information page (SIP) targeted to inform patients their most relevant discharge instructions. Next, the SIP was tested on 118 patients to measure its effect on patient understanding. At the baseline study, no patients had complete understanding of their discharge instructions. The areas of lowest scores were medication instructions and indications to return to the ED. Implementation of the SIP resulted in statistically significant changes in score distribution across all questions assessed with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Interrater reliability between scorers was high (kappa=0.84). We incorporated the concept of the SIP to the cover page of our standard discharge instructions. Healthcare providers often spend valuable time educating their patients, and it is important to assess the effectiveness of this teaching to identify areas in which we may improve health literacy and patient understanding. This project has shown that a simple, easy-to-read, concise page developed with patient input significantly improved ED discharge instruction knowledge.
Optimal Consumption and Investment with Labor Income Uncertainty and Endogenous Retirement

This paper characterizes optimal consumption and investment policies for investors with asset return predictability, stochastic labor income and endogenously-determined retirement. We find that the ratio of total wealth-to-labor income (normalized wealth) is the primary determinant of the retirement decision and that at all ages, there exists a critical normalized wealth such that above this wealth, investors retire. We further consider the implications of endogenous retirement on portfolio choice. It is well known that human capital plays a large role in the determination of optimal equity proportion in financial portfolios. By endogenizing retirement, human capital becomes dependent on savings and investment decisions, which in turn depend on human capital. When compared to investors who exogenously retire at age 65, we find that low-wealth investors with the option to time retirement invest more aggressively while investors with slightly greater normalized wealth invest less aggressively prior to retirement. Investors with high normalized wealth behave almost the same as in the exogenous retirement case. This result contrasts the results in two recent papers and is due to the existence of stochastic labor income. Finally, we consider the impact of asset return/labor income correlation and find that equity holdings are nearly completely crowded-out by increased labor income (background) risk.
Increasing Trend of Fatal Falls in Older Adults in the United States, 1992 to 2005: Coding Practice or Reporting Quality?

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether changes in death certificate coding and reporting practices explain part or all of the recent increase in the rate of fatal falls in adults aged 65 and older in the United States. DESIGN: Trends in coding and reporting practices of fatal falls were evaluated under mortality coding schemes for International Classification of Diseases (ICD), Ninth Revision (1992-1998) and Tenth Revision (1999-2005). SETTING: United States, 1992 to 2005. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 65 and older with falls listed as the underlying cause of death (UCD) on their death certificates. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was annual fatal falls rates per 100,000 U.S. residents aged 65 and older. Coding practice was assessed through analysis of trends in rates of specific UCD fall ICD e-codes over time. Reporting quality was assessed by examining changes in the location on the death certificate where fall e-codes were reported, in particular, the percentage of fall e-codes recorded in the proper location on the death certificate. RESULTS: Fatal falls rates increased over both time periods: 1992 to 1998 and 1999 to 2005. A single falls e-code was responsible for the increasing trend of fatal falls overall from 1992 to 1998 (E888, other and unspecified fall) and from 1999 to 2005 (W18, other falls on the same level), whereas trends for other falls e-codes remained stable. Reporting quality improved steadily throughout the study period. CONCLUSION: Better reporting quality, not coding practices, contributed to the increasing rate of fatal falls in older adults in the United States from 1992 to 2005. Language: en
Intensities of the Venusian N2 electron‐impact excited dayglow emissions

[1] Dayglow emissions are signatures of both the energy deposition into an atmosphere and the abundances of the species from which they arise. The first N2 dayglow emissions from Mars, the (0,5) and (0,6) bands of the N2 Vegard-Kaplan band system, were detected by the Spectroscopy for Investigations of the Characteristics of the Atmosphere of Mars (SPICAM) UV spectrometer on board the Mars Express spacecraft. The Vegard-Kaplan band system arises from the transition from the lowest N2 triplet state (A3Σu+;v′) to the electronic ground state (X1Σg+;v″). It is populated by direct electron-impact excitation and by cascading from higher triplet states. The Venus UV dayglow is currently being probed by an instrument similar to SPICAM, the Spectroscopy for the Investigations of the Characteristics of the Atmosphere of Venus (SPICAV) UV spectrometer on Venus Express, but no N2 emissions have been detected. Because the N2 mixing ratios in the Venus thermosphere are larger than those in the thermosphere of Mars and the solar flux is greater at the orbit of Venus than that at Mars, we expect the Venus N2 emissions to be significantly more intense than those of Mars. A prediction of the intensities of various N2 emissions from Venus could be used to guide observations by the SPICAV and other instruments that are used to measure the Venus dayglow. Employing updated data, we here construct models of the low and high solar activity thermospheres of Venus, and we compute the integrated overhead intensities of 17 N2 band systems and limb profiles of the Vegard-Kaplan bands. The ratios of the predicted intensities of the various N2 bands at Venus to those at Mars are in the range 5.5–9.5.
The Epidemiology of Obesity

It is estimated that globally more than 1 billion adults are overweight and at least 300 million are obese. This epidemic evolved over many decades in the industrialized countries; however, today it is occurring in a little as 10 years in underdeveloped countries. In the United States, the prevalence of overweight increased significantly from 56% in 1994 to 65.2% in 1999–2000 with individuals at the higher end of the body mass index getting larger at a faster rate than the remaining population in both men and women and in all race/ethnic groups. Women in all age groups have higher obesity prevalence than men. Alarmingly, this epidemic is no longer restricted to adults. Childhood obesity has increased more than threefold in the United States in the past three decades with the majority of the increase occurring within the past 10 years. Initially, obesity in children was primarily isolated to those from lower economic households; however, recently this association has been weakening as greater numbers of middle and upper income children have become obese. Obesity is associated with many diseases and tremendously increases health care costs. Although there is consensus that this epidemic is increasing throughout the developed world, the causes for the surge remain unknown and pose challenges for clinicians, researchers and policy makers.
A Commemorative Lecture Series in Honour of Professor Martin Deutsch and Professor Herman Feshbach of M.I.T., USA

Martin Deutsch discovered Positronium, the fundamental “Atom” of quantum electrodynamics in 1951. He initiated and developed the study of the magnetic lens-type spectrometer in 1941, one of the standard instruments of nuclear physics. He promoted the uses of scintillation detectors for nuclear radiations; thus greatly improving the timing and efficiency of the measurements of nuclear radiations (see fig. 1 and fig. 2).
Is Pooling Lead-Time Risk by Splitting Orders Simultaneously Worthwhile?

IS POOLING LEAD-TIME RISK BY SPLITTING ORDERS SIMULTANEOUSLY WORTHWHILE? Douglas J. Thomas John E. Tyworth Smeal College of Business Penn State University dthomas@psu.edu, jet@psu.edu The proposition that pooling lead-time risk by splitting orders simultaneously may enable companies to reduce inventories without sacrificing service or significantly increasing order-processing costs has attracted the attention of academic researchers for more than 20 years. Yet, despite the protracted research interest, virtually no evidence of the proposition’s successful application has appeared in the literature. This paper tries to explain that paradox by investigating the proposition’s value for a broad range of industry conditions, as well as for a high-tech company in an international setting. The investigation considers important cost elements not included in previous work to conduct a realistic assessment of the value proposition. The paper proceeds as follows. The next section identifies the salient literature, the industrial setting, and the important limitations of previous work. The third section describes the framework for the investigation. The fourth section explains the design of computational experiments, which produce the results found in section five. The last section of the paper summarizes the key points and offers some guidelines for managers and recommendations for future research.
Complete heart block complicating retrograde left‐heart catheterization of patients with cardiac allografts

The development of complete heart block during left-sided cardiac catheterization is an uncommon event. We describe three cases of complete heart block complicating left-sided cardiac catheterization of patients with cardiac allografts. Review of the cases performed at our institution suggests that complete heart block during left-sided catheterization may be more common in patients with cardiac allografts.
Language Development and Thematic Instruction: Supporting Young Learners at Risk.

(1996). Language Development and Thematic Instruction: Supporting Young Learners at Risk. Childhood Education: Vol. 72, No. 3, pp. 141-145.
Intestinal permeability to lactulose and mannitol in growing rats with iron-deficiency anemia

Iron deficiency can have nonhematological manifestations, some of which may affect the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this study was to determine if iron-deficiency anemia in growing rats affected small-bowel permeability as assessed by the urinary ratio of lactulose and mannitol. Thirty-seven male Harlan Sprague-Dawley rats (21 d of age) were randomly divided into two groups and fed either an iron-deficient (n=19) or an iron-sufficient diet (n=18) that contained either 13.5 or 43.8 mg of iron/kg diet, respectively. Animals were evaluated between 25 and 38 d of dietary treatment. Intestinal permeability was assessed by measuring the lactulose/mannitol urinary ratio following administration of a solution that contained the two sugars. At the end of the study, the mean body weight of rats fed the low-iron diet was approx 95% that of the controls. The mean hemoglobin (g/dL) was significantly lower in the low-iron diet group (11.2+/-1.4) than in the control group (16.9+/-0.8) (p=0.001). The liver iron concentration (microg/g) of the anemic group (41.4+/-4.7) was also statistically (p=0.001) lower than in the control group (116.6+/-18.2). The lactulose/mannitol ratio was lower in the anemic rats (2.0+/-0.7) than in the control group (2.6+/-0.7) (p=0.008), a finding that is not suggestive of intestinal mucosal atrophy, previously described in anemic children.
Sex and age-related differences in perceived, desired and measured percentage body fat among adults.

Background Body image distortion/discrepancy leads to psychological stress, disordered eating and mental and physical disease. To begin to assess body image distortion/discrepancy, we compared perceived, desired and measured percentage body fat in male versus female and college-aged versus non-college aged individuals. In addition, we assessed the acute stress response to body composition measurement. Methods Body fat percentage of 15 college aged (‘College Students’; CS) (mean = 19 years) and 16 non-college aged (‘Non-College Aged Students’; NCS) (mean = 39 years) males and females was assessed with the BodPod Body Composition Tracking System (Life Measurement Instruments, Concord, CA, USA). Participants indicated their perception of body fat and their desired body fat using a somatomorphic matrix. Salivary cortisol, heart rate and blood pressure were also measured. Data were analysed by analysis of variance and alpha was set at 0.05. Results Mean (SD) percentage body fat of males [15.2% (6.1%] was significantly lower than that of females [28.4% (6.4%)] (P < 0.0001). Both CS and NCS females perceived their body fat to be lower (5%) than measured body fat and desired their body fat to be lower (12%) than measured (P < 0.05). CS and NCS male participants demonstrated the opposite result; both CS and NCS male populations perceived their body fat to be higher (5%) than measured body fat and desired their body fat to be higher (4%) than measured (P < 0.05). No differences between any groups were observed in heart rate, blood pressure or cortisol response to body fat measurement. Conclusions Sex-related but not age-related differences in perceived, desired and measured percentage body fat were observed.
Overview of studies on liver carcinogenesis in English sole from Puget Sound; evidence for a xenobiotic chemical etiology II: Biochemical studies

The levels of aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments of Puget Sound, Washington, are positively correlated with the prevalence of hepatic neoplasms and related lesions in English sole (Parophrys vetulus). To investigate the biochemical processes involved in chemical carcinogenesis in fish from Puget Sound, we have studied the uptake, activation, and detoxication of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in English sole, and have compared these data to PAH metabolism in a related species, starry flounder (Platichthys stellatus), which shows a lower prevalence of hepatic neoplasms than sole. The results of both laboratory and field studies show that sediment-associated PAHs are biologically available to both flatfish species, and that both species accumulate similar levels of PAHs. Analyses of hepatic DNA from sole using the 32P-postlabeling technique indicate that xenobiotic chemicals were adducted to hepatic DNA of fish from the contaminated sites but not to the DNA of fish from reference sites. Studies of the ability of English sole and starry flounder to metabolize benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and bind reactive BaP intermediates to hepatic DNA indicate that biochemical differences in the metabolism of carcinogenic PAHs may explain, at least in part, the apparent lower susceptibility of starry flounder than English sole to chemically induced hepatocarcinogenesis.
Making Sense of Madison: Nedelsky on Private Property

For the American political elite, the decade and a half that followed the Declaration of Independence was a period of tumult and anxiety. The economies of the newly independent states were extremely volatile; many fortunes were made, but many others were lost. The exhilaration produced by the victory over the British was undercut by the snubs and rebuffs received by American diplomats in their first forays abroad. The populace as a whole seemed to be losing the public-spiritedness-the willingness to subordinate their private desires to the good of the community-that had helped power the Revolution and that was crucial to the maintenance of a
Traces of Shakespeare's Cymbeline in Poe's “Politian”

In 1923, Thomas Ollive Mabbott completed a meticulously annotated version of E. A. Poe's unfinished verse drama, “Politian.” Although Mabbott cited numerous allusions to Shakespearean plays, Cymbel...
HIV-1 subtype B protease and reverse transcriptase amino acid covariation.

Despite the high degree of HIV-1 protease and reverse transcriptase (RT) mutation in the setting of antiretroviral therapy, the spectrum of possible virus variants appears to be limited by patterns of amino acid covariation. We analyzed patterns of amino acid covariation in protease and RT sequences from more than 7,000 persons infected with HIV-1 subtype B viruses obtained from the Stanford HIV Drug Resistance Database (http://hivdb.stanford.edu). In addition, we examined the relationship between conditional probabilities associated with a pair of mutations and the order in which those mutations developed in viruses for which longitudinal sequence data were available. Patterns of RT covariation were dominated by the distinct clustering of Type I and Type II thymidine analog mutations and the Q151M-associated mutations. Patterns of protease covariation were dominated by the clustering of nelfinavir-associated mutations (D30N and N88D), two main groups of protease inhibitor (PI)–resistance mutations associated either with V82A or L90M, and a tight cluster of mutations associated with decreased susceptibility to amprenavir and the most recently approved PI darunavir. Different patterns of covariation were frequently observed for different mutations at the same position including the RT mutations T69D versus T69N, L74V versus L74I, V75I versus V75M, T215F versus T215Y, and K219Q/E versus K219N/R, and the protease mutations M46I versus M46L, I54V versus I54M/L, and N88D versus N88S. Sequence data from persons with correlated mutations in whom earlier sequences were available confirmed that the conditional probabilities associated with correlated mutation pairs could be used to predict the order in which the mutations were likely to have developed. Whereas accessory nucleoside RT inhibitor–resistance mutations nearly always follow primary nucleoside RT inhibitor–resistance mutations, accessory PI-resistance mutations often preceded primary PI-resistance mutations.
Proton conductivity of Nafion/ex situ Stöber silica nanocomposite membranes as a function of silica particle size and temperature

In the first systematic study of the influence of the size of silica particles on ion exchange capacity (IEC) and proton conductivity of Nafion–silica nanocomposite membranes, thin films cast from mixtures of silica particles (5 wt%) with varying diameters ranging from 10 to 400 nm and Nafion in alcohol were examined. IECs decreased exactly as expected with the dilution of Nafion and its sulfonic acid groups with added silica. At 80 °C, the proton conductivity was also less with silica particles. However, at higher temperatures (120 °C), there was a 58 % improvement in proton conductivity at low relative humidity and a 45 % improvement at higher relative humidity for nanocomposite membranes prepared with silica particles <50 nm in size. The improvement was less significant with larger silica particles in the membranes.
Thermal properties of starch from 62 exotic maize (Zea mays L.) lines grown in two locations.

ABSTRACT The variability in thermal properties among 62 S3 lines derived from a high-yielding exotic corn (Zea mays) population, Antigua 1 (PI 484990), was evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The S3 lines were grown in Puerto Rico (1990–1991) and Georgia (1994). Separate single-kernel starch extractions for five kernels (five replicates) from each line grown in each location were performed, and the starch was analyzed. The DSC values reported included gelatinization onset (ToG), range (RG), enthalpy (ΔHG), and peak height index (PHI) and retrogradation onset (ToR), range (RR), enthalpy (ΔHR), and percent retrogradation (%R) (an indication of the stability of gelatinized starch after storing at 4°C for 7 days). Significant differences (P < 0.05) were found among the 62 lines of Antigua 1 for ToG, RG, and PHI and highly significant differences (P < 0.01) were found for ΔHG. The starches from plants grown in Georgia (1994) had significantly (P < 0.05) greater ToG, ΔHG, and PHI but a signifi...
Punctate appearance of dopamine-β-hydroxylase on the chromaffin cell surface reflects the fusion of individual chromaffin granules upon exocytosis

Abstract A secretion from cultured bovine chromaffin cells was stimulated to examine the pattern of exocytotic fusion on the plasma membrane. Confocal microscopy revealed that dopamine-β-hydroxylase immunofluorescence in intact cells stimulated for 20 s with the nicotinic agonist 1,1-dimethyl-4-phenylpiperazinium was almost entirely punctate and evenly distributed on the cell surface. The basis for the fine, punctate appearance of dopamine-β-hydroxylase was investigated. Dopamine-β-hydroxylase presentation on the surface of permeabilized cells stimulated with 1–30 μM Ca 2+ was punctate and similar to that on the plasma membrane of intact cells. The fluorescence intensities of both surface dopamine-β-hydroxylase sites and internal chromaffin granules were estimated by computerized digital image analysis. The surface area of punctate surface dopamine-β-hydroxylase (0.218±0.013 μm 2 , mean±S.E.M.) is similar to the surface area of a 0.28 μm diameter chromaffin granule (0.25 μm 2 ). The average fluorescence intensity integrated over the area of the surface spots was 25–30% of the average chromaffin granule intensity, a fraction that is similar to the published values of 40–50% of the dopamine-β-hydroxylase in the chromaffin granule being membrane bound. The surface density of the spots is consistent with the number of granules undergoing exocytosis. The spots do not tend to be clumped. The key conclusions from this work are that each individual punctate site of dopamine-β-hydroxylase represents the fusion of a single chromaffin granule and that the distribution of dopamine-β-hydroxylase spots over the cell surface is extensive and random, suggesting that each individual granule associates with its own release site.
Night Skies of Aboriginal Australia: A Noctuary

Night Skies of Aboriginal Australia:. Noctuary. Dianne Johnson. Sydney: University of Sydney, 1998. 139 pp., drawings, charts, diagrams, appendixes, bibliography.
Jet-Cavity Interaction Tones

A fundamental study of resonant tones produced by jet-cavity interaction over a wide range of flow conditions covering both subsonic and supersonic speeds is described. Two significant findings emerge. For the jet-cavity configurations investigated, a suitably defined reduced frequency parameter allows for a global classification of all jet-cavity tones into two main types. For the first type, the reduced frequency depends on the jet Mach number, whereas for the second type, the reduced frequency is independent of the jet Mach number. We propose simple correlations for the frequency of both types of tones. Based on earlier research, we had expected that the traditional classifications of cavity flows into the open, transitional, or closed variety would be insensitive to small changes in Mach number and would depend primarily on the cavity's L/D ratio. However, use of the novel high-resolution photoluminescent pressure sensitive paint shows that these classifications are actually quite sensitive to the jet Mach number for jet-cavity interactions. However, these classifications provide no guidance for determining tone type, amplitude, or frequency.
Significant reduction of laparotomy-associated lung metastases and subcutaneous tumors after perioperative immunomodulation with Flt3 ligand in mice

Laparotomy has been associated with increased rates of tumor establishment and metastasis formation postoperatively in animal models. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact on postoperative tumor growth of perioperative upregulation of immune function via fetal liver tyrosine kinase 3 (Flt3 ligand). Two murine studies were carried out: the first utilized a lung metastases model, and the second involved a subcutaneous tumor model. Each study included four groups: anesthesia control (AC), AC plus Flt3 ligand (ACFlt3), sham laparotomy (OP), and OP plus Flt3 ligand (OPFlt3). Flt3 ligand was administered by daily intraperitoneal injection (10 µg/dose) beginning 5 days preoperatively and continuing for 1 week postoperatively. In study 1, A/J mice were given tail vein injections of 1.5 x 105 TA3Ha cancer cells on the day of surgery. The mice were sacrificed 14 days after surgery, the lungs processed, and the surface metastases counted by a blinded observer. In study 2 C3H/He mice were given a dors...
The influence of experimental anterior knee pain during running on electromyography and articular cartilage metabolism

Summary Objective To determine whether anterior knee pain (AKP), during running, acutely affects lower-extremity electromyography (EMG) and articular cartilage metabolism. Methods A within-subjects design was used. Each of 12 able-bodied subjects ran on a treadmill for 30 min for three different sessions: control (no infusion), sham (0.9% NaCl infusion into the involved-leg infrapatellar fat pad), and pain (5.0% NaCl infusion into the involved-leg infrapatellar fat pad). Bilateral surface EMG was monitored for the vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), and gastrocnemius (GA). Serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) concentration was determined before, after, and 60 min after the run. A functional analysis approach was used to compare EMG amplitude, across the entire stance phase, between sessions and legs. Mixed-model analysis of covariance was used to compare serum COMP concentration between sessions, across time. Results Relative to the uninvolved leg, greater involved-leg VL and GA EMG amplitude existed during midstance for the sham and control sessions ( P P = 0.01) and 60 min post-run concentrations ( P Conclusion During a 30-min run, AKP acutely alters midstance VM, VL, and GA EMG amplitude. AKP during a 30-min run does not, however, acutely influence articular cartilage metabolism.
“Strong reasons make strong actions” — The antiviral efficacy of NS3/4A protease inhibitors

Background Novel, potent and well-tolerated hepatitis C (HCV) drugs are still needed. BILN 2061 is a potent and specific inhibitor of HCV serine protease in vitro. Pre-clinical toxicology data and studies in healthy volunteers supported the administration of BILN 2061 to patients with HCV infection. Methods The antiviral efficacy, pharmacokinetics and tolerability of 25, 200 and 500 mg bid BILN 2061 given as monotherapy for two days in 31 patients infected with chronic genotype 1 HCV infection and with minimal liver fibrosis (Ishak score 0-2) were assessed in a placebo controlled double blind pilot study. In two, subsequent, placebo controlled studies of similar design, 200 mg bid BILN 2061 was administered for two days to 10 patients with advanced liver fibrosis (Ishak score 3-4) and to 10 patients with compensated cirrhosis (Ishak 5-6). Results Viral RNA reductions of 2-3 log10 copies/mL were achieved in most of the patients. There was a trend towards a higher number of patients receiving 500 mg BILN 2061 achieving a viral RNA reduction >3 log10 copies/mL as compared to patients receiving 25 mg BILN 2061. Advanced fibrosis or compensated cirrhosis did not affect the antiviral efficacy of BILN 2061. BILN 2061 was well tolerated in all studies. Conclusions BILN 2061 is a well tolerated and very active compound, which reduced serum viral RNA concentrations after two days of treatment in patients infected with genotype 1 HCV independent from the degree of fibrosis. Nevertheless further clinical trials are on hold pending resolution of animal toxicity issues.
Patterns of residential segregation within a metropolitan ghetto

The residential segregation of families by income and by stage of the family life cycle within Milwaukee’s black community resembles in both pattern and degree that in the white community. The greater the difference in income, the more dissimilar are the distributions by census tract. Dissimilarity is greater between younger couples without children and older couples with children than between any other pair of family types defined by husband’s age and presence of children. However, segregation by income was substantially greater than by family type in 1960. The bases of selectivity of blacks in“changing” areas of the city, where the proportion black is still relatively low, and of whites in the“suburban” areas adjoining the city are similar. Families in the higher income groups and couples with children are over-represented in these areas. It would appear that given the pressures of limited housing space in the inner core of the black community, given the fact that certain amenities are not available in that area, and given the economic and social barriers which restrict the movement of blacks into the suburbs, the changing areas must function as“suburbs” for the black community.