cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Autonomic What? Care of the Pregnant Patient With New Paraplegia

Paper Presentation Background Spinal cord injury (SCI) resulting in paraplegia in pregnancy is rare and alters the function of multiple organ systems. The obstetric management and nursing care of these women present specific challenges requiring a multidisciplinary approach for maternal and fetal health. Case A 24‐year‐old G2P0 patient was transferred to our high‐risk antenatal unit at 29‐week gestation from a rehabilitation facility. Her history indicated a gunshot wound sustained at 15 weeks resulting in paraplegia at level T3 T4. She had severe neuropathic pain control issues controlled with narcotics; neuropathic bowel and neuropathic bladder complicated by urinary tract infections. A Foley catheter was in place with Macrobid for suppression. She was on deep vein thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis. She had been started on Baclofen for increased muscle tone, as well as multiple medications for gastrointestinal prophylaxis. She had a history of depression/anxiety and was being assessed for posttraumatic stress disorder. She was admitted for preterm labor monitoring and the potential for associated autonomic dysreflexia (ADR). A multidisciplinary team met multiple times to plan and manage her care. She challenged the obstetric nursing staff with unfamiliar rehabilitation regimens. Educational materials were compiled to provide information on her multiple medications, as well as the pathophysiology, signs, symptoms, and treatment for ADR. She was initially quite depressed over her transfer from rehab and refused patient care assistant help. Several primary nurses were scheduled to facilitate her care. Fetal surveys showed a normally developing fetus. She presented to labor and delivery (L&D) at 31.5 weeks with signs of preterm labor and concern for ADR. Her blood pressure remained normotensive and she returned to antepartum. At 33.5 weeks, she returned to L&D for labor management. She was given an epidural for prevention and management of ADR. She had a forceps assisted vaginal delivery. She was discharged to rehab on postpartum day 4. Her infant remained in the neonatal intensive care unit for treatment of prematurity and withdrawal. Conclusion There is little current literature on the care of the pregnant patient with SCI. Nurses serve a crucial role in the facilitation of a multidisciplinary approach to care these complicated patients. Understanding the chronic medical conditions as well as the potentially life‐threatening complication of ADR will allow obstetric nurses to provide optimal care to patients with SCI during pregnancy and delivery.
Film and Video

Film reviewed in this issue. Learning to Listen across Cultures: The Storytelling Class. 2010. Directed by John Paskievich and John Whiteway. Produced by Sedna Pictures, Inc.
Effect of magnesium deficiency on nonspecific excitability level (NEL) and audiogenic seizure susceptibility.

Abstract Magnesium deficiency in weanling rats caused an increase in NEL and in audiogenic seizure susceptibility. These behavioral effects were apparent after eight days of magnesium restriction and could be reversed by dietary rehabilitation. Serum magnesium declined rapidly from1.87 ± 0.10mEq/Lto0.91 ± 0.24mEq/L in two days. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) magnesium decreased gradually from 1.86 mEq/L, becoming significantly lower (1.44 ± 0.23mEq/L) after eight days. When deficient rats were injected IP with MgCl 2 , raising the serum magnesium concentration to 6.6 mEq/L, NEL decreased to normal while audiogenic seizure susceptibility remained. Both NEL and audiogenic seizure susceptibility in rats reflect central nervous system magnesium concentration, except when serum magnesium concentration is very high. Very high serum magnesium concentration lowers NEL but does not reduce audiogenic seizure susceptibility if CSF magnesium is low.
Preferential Interaction of Sentrin with a Ubiquitin-conjugating Enzyme, Ubc9

Sentrin is a ubiquitin-like molecule that has been shown to interact with the death domains of Fas and tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1), PML, Rad51, Rad52, and RanGAP1. We have reported previously that sentrin can be conjugated to other proteins in a manner analogous to protein ubiquitination (Kamitani, T., Nguyen, H. P., and Yeh, E. T. H. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 14001–14004). Furthermore, the conserved C-terminal Gly-Gly residues are required for sentrinization to occur. To identify enzymes which play a role in sentrinization, the yeast two-hybrid system was used to screen a human placenta cDNA library using sentrin as bait. A strong positive interacting clone was found to contain a cDNA insert encoding the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, Ubc9. The interaction between sentrin and Ubc9 required the ubiquitin domain and the C-terminal Gly-Gly residues of sentrin. This interaction appears to be specific because sentrin could only interact weakly with UbcH5B, but could not interact with HHR6B, UbcH6 nor E2-EPF. In vitro translated sentrin could be precipitated by a GST-Ubc9 fusion protein, but not by glutathione S-transferase. A β-mercaptoethanol-sensitive Ubc9-sentrin conjugate could also be identified in the in vitro binding assay. Substitution of the conserved cysteine residue of Ubc9 by serine abolished the formation of the Ubc9-sentrin conjugate. Taken together, Ubc9 is a strong candidate to be the key conjugating enzyme in the sentrinization pathway.
The use of foil metallurgy processing to achieve ultrafine grained Mg-9 Li laminates and Mg-9Li-5B4C particulate composites

A foil metallurgy processing technique has been developed to prepare fine-grained laminates based on a two-phase Mg-9Li alloy and fine-grained particulate composites based on hard B4C powders embedded in the two-phase Mg-9Li alloy. The processing steps involve principally cold-rolling and low-temperature recovery processing for preparation of foils, and low-temperature press-bonding for preparation of laminates and composites. In this manner, contamination of the highly reactive alloy is minimized. Good tensile strength and ductility were achieved at room temperature with specific stiffness values of about 3.1 × 106 m3. Both the fine-grained laminates and the particulate composite are superplastic at 200 ° C, exhibiting a strain-rate-sensitivity exponent,m, of 0.5.
Cultural Competence of North Carolina Nurses: A Journey From Novice to Expert

This study reports the survey findings of self-reported cultural competence of a convenience sample of 66 registered nurses of varying ages, gender, ethnicity, educational backgrounds, and experience in North Carolina. Campinha-Bacote's model of cultural competence and Benner's model of clinical skills acquisition serve as the conceptual frameworks. The process of cultural competence among health care professionals, developed by Campinha-Bacote, is used to measure cultural competence in participants. In addition to descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis of variance was conducted to compare means of cultural competence scores of different groups. Findings indicate that level of education, nursing experience, and continuing education are factors that promote cultural competence, whereas gender and race/ethnicity have no bearing. In addition, qualitative data generated four themes: language or verbal communication barrier, religious beliefs, different health beliefs and behaviors, and culturally inapprop...
The persistence of optional complementizer production: Why saying “that” is not saying “that” at all

Abstract What kinds of processing mechanisms determine the forms of spoken sentences? Three experiments (N=176) measured whether the mention of an optional that in a sentence-complement structure (“The mechanic mentioned (that) the car could use a tune-up”) can be primed by the prior production of a sentence that included a lexically or a lexically and syntactically similar that, using a recall-based sentence-production task. Results showed that target that-mention was influenced by primes with lexically and syntactically similar thats (sentence-complement primes with versus without thats), but not by primes with only lexically similar thats (transitive primes with determiner thats, “The company insured that farm for…,” or noun-complement primes with complementizer thats, “The theory that…”). Also, compared to neutral primes, sentence-complement primes without thats decreased target that-mention more than sentence-complement primes with thats increased it. This suggests that complementizer-persistence specifically and sentence-production generally includes an autonomous, lexically independent syntactic processing component.
Mobilization of PAHs and PCBs from In-Place Contaminated Marine Sediments During Simulated Resuspension Events

A particle entrainment simulator was used to experimentally produce representative estuarine resuspension conditions to investigate the resulting transport of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to the overlying water column. Contaminants were evaluated in bulk sediments, size fractionated sediments, resuspended particulate material and in some cases, dissolved phases during the experiments. The two types of sediments used in the experiments, dredged material and bedded estuarine sediment, represented gradients in contaminant loadings and sediment textural characteristics. For the bedded sediment, resuspension tended to winnow the sediments of finer particles. However, in the case of the more highly contaminated dredge material, non-selective resuspension was most common. Resuspension resulted in up to orders of magnitude higher particle-bound organic contaminant concentrations in the overlying water column. Dissolved phase PAH changes during resuspension were variable and at most, increased by a factor of three. The sifting process resulted in the partitioning of fine and coarse particle contaminant loading. For bedded sediments, accurate predictions of PAH and PCB loadings on resuspended particles were made using the mass of resuspended particles of different sizes and the concentrations of contaminants in the particle pools of the bulk sediment. However, due possibly to contributions from other unmeasured particles (e.g. colloids), predictions were not possible for the dredge material. Thus, knowledge of the redistribution and fate of colloids may be important. The partitioning of PAHs between the dissolved and particulate phases during resuspension events was predicted to within a factor of two from the amount of organic carbon in each of the resuspended samples. These experiments show that contaminant transport is a function of the chemistry and textural characteristics of the bulk sediment and the winnowing action during resuspension events. Existing relationships of resuspension and settling velocity are probably useful in predicting chemical redistribution.
Excitation, Hole-Burning, and Stark Spectroscopy of Free Base Isobacteriochlorin in an n-Octane Matrix at Liquid Helium Temperatures

Excitation spectra of trans-free base isobacteriochlorin in an n-octane Shpol'skii matrix at liquid helium temperatures have been obtained. Upon rapid cooling, the guest isobacteriochlorin molecule...
Early alteration in liver of rats fed 2-fluorenylacetamide investigated by L-ethionine probe.

Abstract The metabolic activity of liver of rats fed a diet containing 0.03% 2- N -fluorenylacetamide (FAA) was investigated using the probe of L-[ ethyl - 14 C]ethionine (613 μmol L-E/100 g body wt.). Shortly after the onset of the carcinogenic regimen, the capacity of liver to accumulate S -adenosylethionine (SAE) began to decline, reaching its minimum (30% of the concentration in control rats) within 3 weeks. This decreased capacity to accumulate SAE results from the FAA-induced decrease in activity of ATP-L-methionine adenosyltransferase. The concentration of hepatic ATP assayed without L-ethionine (L-E) probe also declined during the first 2 weeks of the carcinogenic regimen, but then increased, attaining the normal values within 2 more weeks. Administering the L-E probe to the FAA-fed rats produced an even greater drop in hepatic ATP concentration during the first 2 weeks; however from the third week on, the L-E dose produced no depressing effect, despite the SAE accumulation remaining at its same depressed levels and, therefore, trapping the same amount of ATP as in the previous weeks. The results show that the modification of L-E metabolism and of ATP turnover, observed previously in DL-E fed rats, need not be specific for the carcinogen fed and can occur even when the carcinogens are metabolized by different enzymatic systems.
Mixing studies of helium in air at high supersonic speeds

We present a mixing study using gas injection at low transverse angles into M=3 and M=6 crossflows. Effects of injectant asymmetries on the mixing processes were also tested by including low injector yaw angles. Ambient temperature helium was injected at matched pressure conditions as well as at 5× matched pressure into a Mach 6 freestream, with Reynolds number of 5.4×10 7 /m. Complementary tests at Mach 3, Re=5.0×10 7 /m, were performed. The primary data are concentration measurements and meanflow measurements with nanosecond exposure shadowgraphs and surface flow visualization
Ovicidal effect of Thompson-Hayward TH 6040 in Diaprepes abbreviatus on citrus in Florida.

In field tests, Thompson-Hayward TH 6040 ( N -(4-chlorophenyl)-N′-(2-6-difluorobenzoyl)urea) applied by air at a rate of 283 g AI/acre was effective for at least 26 days in reducing the reproductive potential of Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.). Egg hatch was reduced from 71 to 15% when weevils were continuously exposed to a 0-, to 26-day-old residue in the grove. Exposure of 3 days or less was not effective in reducing total egg hatch.
Risk assessment and environmental crisis: toward an integration of science and participation

This essay examines the dominant technocratic approach to risk assessment in the context of the environmental crisis. Focusing on the concept of acceptable risk, the discussion demonstrates the need for a more comprehensive sociological approach to risk perception and communication. The alternative is seen to depend on the inclusion of a wider range of political interests and social concerns, those of the public as well as the more immediate stakeholders. Toward this end, the paper sketches the outlines of a participatory methodology for risk assessment and concludes with a brief exploration of the political and institutional implications of such an approach.
Effect of humidity on deprotection kinetics in chemically amplified resists

Water is known to play a key role in the solubility switching reaction of novolac-diazonaphthoquinone photoresists and certain chemically amplified resists. In order to quantitatively study these effects, an environmental chamber was built in which the % RH could be controlled while the extent of acid catalyzed deprotection was monitored during the post exposure bake by reflectance FTIR spectroscopy. The extent of acid catalyzed deprotection of tBOC, KRS-XE, UV6, and a tBOC-poly(hydroxystyrene) copolymer have been measured as a function of time over a range of 0-60 % RH. For tBOC, the deprotection reaction rate was found to slow considerably as the %RH was increased. Also, the relative film shrinkage varied considerably with varying % RH. Several possible mechanisms for the dependence of the reaction rate and thickness loss on % RH were investigated. For KRS-XE, the deprotection reaction kinetics were found to increase as the % RH was increased, which was an expected trend. For UV6 and the tBOC-PHOST copolymer, no change in deprotection reaction rate was observed with changes in %RH.
Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair complicates future pelvic oncologic surgery.

We read with interest the articleby Drs. Nathan and Pappas tracing theevolution of inguinal hernia repair fromthe ﬁrst open tissue-based repairs, to theadvent of mesh prosthetics, which ush-ered in tension-free repairs. Most re-cently, laparoscopic inguinal hernia re-pairs (LIHRs) have evolved, promisingless postoperative pain and quicker re-turn to work. The authors expressedsome reservations over the newer lapa-roscopic techniques, citing their highercost and higher recurrence rates in theearly phase of the learning curve.
Social Interdependence and Classroom Climate

Summary Responses to a classroom climate instrument were made by 859 students in grades 5 through 9 in three urban and suburban midwestern school districts and were submitted to correlational analyses of relationships between scales measuring attitudes toward social interdependence and attitudes towards relationships with peers and teachers. Students who participated frequently in cooperative learning experiences were compared with students who had only infrequently experienced cooperative learning. Cooperativeness and frequently participating in cooperative learning situations were positively related to perceptions of support, help, and friendship from teachers and peers.
Highly strained dihydroanthraquinones: oxidation versus elimination

The chemistry of strained dihydroanthraquinones was investigated for the purpose of developing syntheses for highly strained anthraquinones. The reaction of (1,4-dihydro-9,10-dioxo-anthracen-1-yl)-acetates with triethylamine under aerobic conditions was found to be dependent on the degree of substitution on the acetate. Dihydroanthraquinones bearing dimethylacetates underwent elimination of enolate exclusively, while those without acetate substitution dehydrogenated as expected. Furthermore, oxidation of the cyclohexadiene ring using iodine failed due to a competitive iodolactonization reaction. The desired strained anthraquinones could be prepared, in low yield, by treatment of the resulting lactones with acidic ethanol.
The provision of services for alcohol problems: A community perspective for understanding access

Alcohol use is related to numerous health and social problems. The article describes the prevalence of alcohol problems and dependence across a county and its institutions. While high rates of problem drinking were found across health, mental health, criminal justice, welfare, drug, and alcohol programs, the proportion was highest for primary health clinics, the criminal justice system, and welfare agencies. This also was the case when the county's most serious alcohol problem cases—individuals who were alcohol dependent—were examined. Thus it may be useful to develop screening procedures, mainstream treatment interventions in non-alcohol specialty agencies, and include non-specialty agencies in services research on access.
Group therapy with Southeast Asian refugees

This report describes a one-year experience with a new program of group therapy for Southeast Asians who were treated in a psychiatric program for Indochinese refugees. Cultural factors involving communication styles, respect for authority, and traditional social relationships greatly influence the group process. Socialization experiences which encouraged traditional activities and practical information were the most acceptable medium by all the groups. Psychological issues of losses, cultural conflicts, and persistent discussion of somatic symptoms were voiced throughout the activities. Formal group psychotherapy was periodically useful in some groups. Flexibility, meeting concrete needs, keeping a bicultural focus, and maintaining the individual therapy sessions contributed to the acceptance by the patient.
Evidence for Balanced Linkage of X Chromosome Polygenes in a Natural Population of Drosophila

Extensive levels of polygenic variation can be maintained in a population without creating a severe segregational load. One way to account for this is that the alleles are arranged on a chromosome so that different regions balance each other phenotypically. To test whether this occurs in a natural population, we isolated ten Drosophila melanogaster X chromosomes and mapped regions of polygenic activity affecting sternopleural bristle number. The chromosomes fell into a small number of groups based upon the similarity of their distributions of polygenic activity. The results are consistent with a model in which a large proportion of the variation can be attributed to a small number of segregating chromosome regions and in which the chromosomes show internal balance.
Accuracy of Immunohistochemistry and Flow Cytometry in Estimating the Proportion of Leukemic Cells in S Phase in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients

We compared the proportion of S phase cells in bone marrow and peripheral blood samples obtained from 17 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Before sampling all patients received a one hour i.v. infusion of iododeoxyuridine (IdUrd). The proportion of S phase cells was studied by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in bone marrow biopsies, and by flow cytometry (FCM) in bone marrow aspirates and peripheral blood samples. The IdUrd labelling index (LI) in bone marrow biopsy sections (27.5 +/- 1.8%) was significantly higher than the proportion of IdUrd labelled cells in bone marrow aspirate (15.1 +/- 2.0%). The percentage of S phase cells in peripheral blood was approximately the same as that in the aspirate (12.4 +/- 1.3%) and was correlated with that of bone marrow aspirate indicating a high degree of the aspirate dilution by peripheral blood. It is likely that the differences in % S phase cells in the aspirate and the biopsy result from this dilution. Estimates of the % S phase cells in the peripheral blood study by IHC and FCM were essentially the same. Samples labelled for one hour in vitro resulted in 1.5 fold higher LI than the same samples labelled in vivo. We conclude that estimates of the 8% S phase cells in the bone marrow of patients with CML should be made by infusing patients with IdUrd or BrdUrd with immunohistochemical evaluation of a marrow biopsy. Additionally in vitro labelling is not reflective of the percent S phase cells in vivo in patients.
Obesity is associated with higher 4E-BP1 expression in endometrial cancer.

PURPOSE Obesity is associated with risk and prognosis of endometrial cancer (EC), and the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway may play an instrumental role. We sought to explore the associations between cellular proliferation, Akt, and 4E binding protein-1 (4E-BP1) (a downstream target of mTORC1), in obese and nonobese women with and without EC. METHODS Archival tissue-specimens from endometrial biopsies were grouped into two broad categories based on the observed disease behavior and similarities in tissue staining patterns: benign/hyperplasia (without cytologic atypia) (n=18) versus atypia (complex hyperplasia with cytologic atypia)/carcinoma (n=25). The characteristics of the study population, including height and weight to determine body mass index (BMI: kg/m2), were abstracted from medical records. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess the phosphorylated (p)Akt, p4E-BP1, and antigen Ki67. RESULTS Cytoplasmic and nuclear pAkt were significantly associated with cytoplasmic p4E-BP1 (ρ=+0.48, ρ=+0.50) (P<0.05) and nuclear p4E-BP1 (ρ=+0.40, ρ=+0.44) (P<0.05); cytoplasmic and nuclear p4E-BP1 were significantly associated with Ki67 (ρ=+0.46, ρ=+0.59) (P<0.05). Compared with the benign/hyperplasia group, the women with atypia/carcinoma had significantly higher cytoplasmic and nuclear p4E-BP1 and Ki67. This staining pattern was similar in obese women; however, in nonobese women, neither cytoplasmic nor nuclear p4E-BP1staining differed between benign/hyperplasia versus atypia/carcinoma. CONCLUSION The activation of 4E-BP1 was higher in the obese women with EC. Adiposity may be a key factor to consider in future studies investigating the role of 4E-BP1 as a biomarker and therapeutic target in EC.
The use of prilled fat to coat and protect amino acids from ruminal degradation

A series of trials was conducted to determine the effectiveness and limitations associated with the use of partially hydrogenated triglycerides as a protective coating to enhance amino acid escape from the rumen. Commercially prepared prills and laboratory-synthesized prills containing either lysine or methionine were incubated from 0–24 h in situ, in a fistula Ted cow fed hay and grain (1:1, w/w DM). Multiple factors were found to affect the ability of fat to protect amino acids. Examination of prill size where prills were separated by sieves into sizes ranging from 703 μm to 2.5 mm indicated that, overall, larger prills provided greater protection than smaller prills. Differences in protection exist between amino acid source, as methionine recovery was consistently greater than lysine. Reduction of lysine particle size improved its protection, but was still not protected as well as methionine. Prills with iodine values (IV) of < 1, 17 and 40 were also examined. Differences in protection between IV levels was not great, however, IV < 1 and 17 provided greater protection than IV 40. Utilizing results from the various trials, maximal protection level was achieved (approximately 90%) for methionine in prills made from IV 17 which ranged in size from 2 to 2.5 mm.
Surgical treatment for recurrent dislocation or chronic subluxation of the temporomandibular joint

Recurrent dislocation or chronic subluxation of the temporomandibular joints may occur from long-term overclosure. Mandibular overclosure is due to loss of dentition. If the overclosure is not corrected by prosthetic rehabilitation of the proper vertical dimension, the result will be loosening of the temporomandibular capsule and stretching of the lateral ligament. The authors advocate capsule plication and ligamentorrhaphy via a preauricular or endaural approach. Occlusal splints are used during surgery to reestablish the vertical dimension. The patient is kept in intermaxillary fixation for 3 weeks. Postoperative prosthetic reconstruction is needed. Two cases are presented.
Urban Class and Communal Consciousness in Colonial Punjab: The Genesis of India's Intermediate Regime

A cornerstone of Wallerstein's (1974) theory of the capitalist world system is that economic development occurs in certain (core) regions of the world system at the expense of development in other (peripheral) regions. This thesis, accepted in one form or another by scholars following a dependency, neo-Marxist, or unequal exchange conception of economic development (as, for example, Amin 1976 or Laclau 1971; see discussion in Foster-Carter 1973 and Kahn 1980: 203ff) provides the foundation for their avowal of the ‘development of underdevelopment.’ The development of the core industrial capitalist nations required, so they argue, the distorted and repressed economic development of the third world.
Structural Insights into Phospholipase C-β Function

Phospholipase C (PLC) enzymes convert phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate into the second messengers diacylglycerol and inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate. The production of these molecules promotes the release of intracellular calcium and activation of protein kinase C, which results in profound cellular changes. The PLCβ subfamily is of particular interest given its prominent role in cardiovascular and neuronal signaling and its regulation by G protein–coupled receptors, as PLCβ is the canonical downstream target of the heterotrimeric G protein Gαq. However, this is not the only mechanism regulating PLCβ activity. Extensive structural and biochemical evidence has revealed regulatory roles for autoinhibitory elements within PLCβ, Gβγ, small molecular weight G proteins, and the lipid membrane itself. Such complex regulation highlights the central role that this enzyme plays in cell signaling. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the control of its activity will greatly facilitate the search for selective small molecule modulators of PLCβ.
From paragraph networks to document networks

We investigate hypertext repositories with automatically generated hyperlinks among paragraphs. The algorithms that generate the links yield results with significant common characteristics despite large differences among the algorithms. Furthermore, different repositories, generated by the same algorithms show significant common characteristics, although generated from the return lists of different search engines. Finally, repositories generated for different domains also have common characteristics. This suggests that these characteristics are pervasive properties of judiciously retrieved document sets. The common characteristics revolve around a tendency for some documents (the kernel) to be destinations of a disproportionately high fraction of the hyperlinks in the repository. An emergent property of such repositories with practical significance is that browsing activities will have a tendency to trap the user within the kernel, perhaps without their realizing it. To enable users to choose to avoid trapping, we propose a ring structure for hypertext repositories which is exposed to the user by annotations to the hyperlinks.
Collective Efficacy and Major Depression in Urban Neighborhoods

Depression contributes substantially to the global burden of disease and disability. Population-level factors that shape depression may be efficient targets for intervention to decrease the depression burden. The authors aimed to identify the relation between neighborhood collective efficacy and major depression. Analyses were conducted on data from the New York Social Environment Study (n = 4,000), a representative study of residents of New York, New York, conducted in 2005. Neighborhood collective efficacy was measured as the average neighborhood response on a well-established scale. Major depression was assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire. A marginal modeling approach was applied to present results on the additive scale relevant to public health and intervention. Analyses were adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, recent life events that could contribute to both depression and change in residence, and individual perception of collective efficacy. Collective efficacy was related to major depression among older adults; marginal models estimated a 6.2% (95% confidence interval: 0.1, 17.5) lower prevalence of depression if all older adults (65 years and older) had lived in high versus low collective efficacy neighborhoods. Similar results were suggested among younger adults; however, the confidence interval crossed the null. These and other study findings suggest that community-randomized trials targeting collective efficacy merit consideration.
Combinational logic design in Synthetic Biology

Combinational logic circuits are a fundamental building block in today's digital electronics. Combinational logic representations are highly amenable to various levels of abstraction, and manipulation is naturally performed via Boolean algebraic expressions. These properties have allowed automatic VLSI synthesis and analysis capabilities to reach a high level of maturity. In the growing field of Synthetic Biology, devices are emerging which are being classified as “combinational logic”. These devices can be constructed using standardized design practices which pave the way to more advanced analysis and construction techniques. However there exist a number of barriers to the application of VLSI design techniques to biological systems. We describe two key barriers and begin the process of examining how difficult they will be to overcome.
Reliability of ratings for multiple judges: Intraclass correlation and metric scales

Scale-dependent procedures are presented for assessing the reliability of ratings for multiple judges using intraclass correlation. Scale type is defined in terms of admissible transformations, and standardizing transformations for ratio and in terval scales are presented to solve the problem of adjusting ratings for "arbitrary scale factors" (unit and/or origin of the scale). The theory of mean ingfulness of numerical statements is introduced and the coefficient of relational agreement (Stine, 1989b) is defined as the degree of agreement among judges, with respect to (scale-dependent) empirically meaningful relationships. Other topics discussed include the treatment of variability due to judges in relation to scale type, and the reliabili ty of magnitude estimates in psychophysics.
Multi-Layer, Pseudo 3D Thermal Topology Optimization of Heat Sinks

In order to overcome the high computational costs of 3D fluid-thermal topology optimization we introduce a pseudo 3D model consisting of a conductive base-layer and a coupled fluidthermal design layer. While developed with heat sink designs in mind, the resulting topology optimization approach can be applied to other fluid-thermal design problems where 2D flow effects dominate. We introduce the coupled fluid-thermal solver based on the lattice Boltzmann method, develop and validate the sensitivity analysis for the model, and illustrate the resulting optimization framework for a heat sink design problem.
Crystallization and amorphization studies of a Ge 2 Sb 2.3 Te 5 thin-film sample under pulsed laser irradiation

We present the results of crystallization and amorphization studies on a thin-film sample of Ge2Sb2.3Te5, encapsulated in a quadrilayer stack as in the media of phase-change optical disk data storage. The study was conducted on a two-laser static tester in which one laser, operating in pulsed mode, writes either amorphous marks on a crystalline film or crystalline marks on an amorphous film. The second laser, operating at low power in the cw mode, simultaneously monitors the progress of mark formation in terms of the variations of reflectivity both during the write pulse and in the subsequent cooling period. In addition to investigating some of the expected features associated with crystallization and amorphization, we noted certain curious phenomena during the mark-formation process. For example, at low-power pulsed illumination, which is insufficient to trigger the phase transition, there is a slight change in the reflectivity of the sample. This is believed to be caused by a reversible change in the complex refractive index of the Ge2Sb2.3Te5 film in the course of heating above the ambient temperature. We also observed that the mark-formation process may continue for as long as 1 µs beyond the end of the write laser pulse. This effect is especially pronounced during amorphous mark formation under high-power, long-pulse illumination.
Target dependence of the annual modulation in direct dark matter searches

Due to Earth's revolution around the Sun, the expected scattering rate in direct dark matter searches is annually modulated. This modulation is expected to differ between experiments when given as a function of recoil energy ${E}_{\mathrm{R}}$, e.g. due to the gravitational focusing effect of the Sun. A better variable to compare results among experiments employing different targets is the minimum speed ${v}_{\mathrm{min}}$ a dark matter particle must have to impart a recoil energy ${E}_{\mathrm{R}}$ to a target nucleus. It is widely believed that the modulation expressed as a function of ${v}_{\mathrm{min}}$ is common to all experiments, irrespective of the dark matter distribution. We point out that the annual modulation as a function of ${v}_{\mathrm{min}}$, and in particular the times at which the rate is maximum and minimum, could be very different depending on the detector material. This would be an indication of a scattering cross section with nonfactorizable velocity and target material dependence. Observing an annual modulation with at least two different target elements would be necessary to identify this type of cross section.
Supervisory Adaptive Control for the Structural Vibration of a Coordinate-Measuring Machine

A supervisory adaptive control approach has been developed for a structural vibration control of a coordinate measuring machine, which is a dynamic system with time varying system model order and parameters. An on-line dynamic data system modelling algorithm is used to identify the system model order and parameters simultaneously. Based on the identified model, a predictive control algorithm is applied to generate control commands. A supervisory strategy with several monitoring indices and decision-making rules is proposed to supervise the modelling and control processes. The developed supervisory adaptive control approach has been implemented in a digital signal processor board for structural vibration control. Experimental results indicate a 75% reduction in the peak-to-peak vibration and an 80% reduction in the settling time.
Gene expression and regulation from the p7 promoter of Aedes densonucleosis virus.

The nonstructural proteins NS1 and NS2 are thought to be expressed from the p7 promoter of Aedes densonucleosis virus (AeDNV). To study gene expression from the p7 promoter, eight different plasmids were constructed by fusing β-galactosidase or β-glucuronidase into the genome so that the reporter gene was in different open reading frames and under the transcriptional control of the p7 promoter. After transfection into C6/36 Aedes albopictus cells, constructs generated comparable amounts of RNA, but only the NS1 and NS2 fusion constructs produced appreciable levels of active enzyme. NS1 and NS2 fusion constructs contained wild-type AeDNV sequences from the p7 promoter downstream to nucleotide 458. The remaining constructs, with the exception of p7GUS.rf3, lacked some or all of these necessary sequences and inefficiently produced protein. These data suggest that sequences downstream of the p7 promoter play a role in translational regulation of gene expression from the p7 promoter of AeDNV.
Functional Consequences of Substitution Mutations in MepR, a Repressor of the Staphylococcus aureus mepA Multidrug Efflux Pump Gene

The expression of mepA, encoding the Staphylococcus aureus MepA multidrug efflux protein, is repressed by the MarR homologue MepR. MepR dimers bind differently to operators upstream of mepR and mepA, with affinity being greatest at the mepA operator. MepR substitution mutations may result in mepA overexpression, with A103V most common in clinical strains. Evaluation of the functional consequences of this and other MepR substitutions using a lacZ reporter gene assay revealed markedly reduced repressor activity in the presence of Q18P, F27L, G97E, and A103V substitutions. Reporter data were generally supported by susceptibility and efflux assays, and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) confirmed compromised affinities of MepR F27L and A103V for the mepR and mepA operators. One mutant protein contained two substitutions (T94P and T132M); T132M compensated for the functional defect incurred by T94P and also rescued that of A103V but not F27L, establishing it as a limited-range suppressor. The function of another derivative with 10 substitutions was minimally affected, and this may be an extreme example of suppression involving interactions among several residues. Structural correlations for the observed functional effects were ascertained by modeling mutations onto apo-MepR. It is likely that F27L and A103V affect the protein-DNA interaction by repositioning of DNA recognition helices. Negative functional consequences of MepR substitution mutations may result from interference with structural plasticity, alteration of helical arrangements, reduced protein-cognate DNA affinity, or possibly association of MepR protomers. Structural determinations will provide further insight into the consequences of these and other mutations that affect MepR function, especially the T132M suppressor.
To BOLDly Go Where Positron Emission Tomography Has Been Before

Atherosclerotic disease remains concealed for many years and becomes clinically overt only when the growth of atherosclerotic plaques and the adverse remodeling of the arterial wall reach a critical stage that results in impairment of blood flow, ischemia, and angina. Large epicardial arteries have a diameter ranging from a few millimeters to ≈500 μm and are visible at coronary angiography. Prearterioles (diameter from ≈500 to ≈100 μm) and arterioles (diameter <100 μm) are beyond the resolution of current angiographic systems and hence are not visible at angiography. Each compartment is regulated by distinct mechanisms, and vascular resistance is distributed in series along the coronary vascular bed.1 The oxygen supply to the myocardium is determined by arterial oxygen saturation and myocardial extraction, which are relatively fixed in normal perfusion conditions. At constant distending pressure, variations of flow in epicardial coronary arteries can be achieved by means of intracoronary injection of arteriolar vasodilators.2 Near maximal hyperemia can be achieved using coronary vasodilators such as adenosine or dipyridamole, which induce vasodilatation, mainly in the coronary microcirculation. The functional severity of a stenosis cannot be estimated by anatomic imaging such as x-ray coronary angiography or multislice computed tomography, and, in addition, diffuse atherosclerosis and extensive arterial remodeling may contribute to the dissociation of anatomic and functional measurements of coronary stenosis severity. Therefore, the functional significance of coronary stenoses can only be evaluated by measures of coronary flow, and commonly the flow reserve, which is the ratio of nonregulated maximum (hyperemic) and autoregulated (resting) flow. This characterization requires accurate quantitative measurements of pressure and/or flow and can be estimated invasively as fractional flow reserve2 or measured noninvasively with positron emission tomography (PET).3 Articles see p 32 and 41 The relationship between resting and hyperemic myocardial blood flow and severity of coronary …
Effects of Spanish vs. English Ads on Bilingual Hispanics: Moderating Role of Language Dominance

This paper examines the question concerning the choice of language when advertising to bilingual Hispanics. The prevalent view among advertisers serving the Hispanic market is that it is ’besf to advertise in Spanish. Such a policy assumes that most Hispanic consumers prefer communication in Spanish over communication in English. However, statistics indicate that more and more Hispanics are embracing English as their primary language of communication. Thus, some members of the Hispanic community actually prefer communicating in English to communicating in Spanish. The present paper indicates that the choice of language in advertising to bilingual Hispanics should be based on the language proficiency and practice of the target audience.
Correlation between preoperative endoscopic ultrasound and surgical pathology staging of gastric adenocarcinoma: A single institution retrospective review

Background Recent evidence validates the effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of gastric adenocarcinoma. Endoscopic ultrasonographic (EUS) staging has been proposed as a useful adjunct in this setting. Methods We performed a retrospective review of patients treated at our institution for gastric adenocarcinoma between July 2005 and January 2014. We identified patients referred for EUS before surgery as part of a prospective treatment plan. Histopathologic staging was compared to EUS staging, with a focus on T- and N-stage. Agreement between the two modalities was examined using kappa-statistics. Results We identified 614 patients with biopsy-proven gastric adenocarcinoma; 145 underwent curative-intent surgery. Surgical pathology and EUS results were available from 69 patients. The accuracy of EUS for the evaluation of T- and N-stage was 44.9% and 56.5%, respectively. EUS demonstrated greater concordance with histopathology at evaluating T-stage (κ = 0.3469) than N-stage (κ = 0.1316). EUS underestimated T- and N-stage in 40.8% and 30.4% of patients, respectively. Conclusion EUS seems to correlate poorly with pathology in the preoperative staging of gastric adenocarcinoma. In the majority of inaccurate cases, EUS underestimates T-stage and N-stage, limiting its utility in the neoadjuvant setting. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;113:42–45. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Integrated Process Analytical Technology Approach for Nucleation Induction Time Measurement and Nucleation Mechanism Assessment for a Dynamic Multicomponent Pharmaceutical Antisolvent Crystallization System

A comprehensive, real-time PAT process monitoring scheme of using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, focused beam reflectance measurement (FBRM), and particle vision microscopy (PVM) was established for process characterization and process understanding of a model dynamic multicomponent pharmaceutical antisolvent crystallization system. The NIR spectra were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA) to construct the process trajectory; and the final products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), raman spectrometry, and microscopy. Regardless of the PAT technique (i.e., the NIR–PCA method, the FBRM method, and the PVM method) used, this study shows that the nucleation induction time (tind) increases with temperature. In addition, correlations were observed with R2 of 0.70–0.98 between PVM method and FBRM method and of 0.58–0.84 between NIR–PCA method and FBRM method. Accounting for the dynamic nature of the experiments and changes in the liquid volume (V) as a function of time, a simpl...
Balancing Employer Business Interests and Employee Privacy Interests: A Survey of Kansas Intrusion on Seclusion Cases in the Employment Context

In recent decades, employers are using more sophisticated, high tech methods to monitor employee behavior. Employers test employees for AIDS and drug use; videotape them; electronically monitor their computer use, internet use, emails, text messages, and phone calls; and track their movements with Global Positioning Surveillance technology. While employers clearly have the right to monitor employee behavior, that right is not limitless. The tort of intrusion on seclusion creates one such limit.The extent to which the intrusion on seclusion tort protects employee privacy under Kansas law is somewhat of a mystery because the Kansas Supreme Court has not analyzed an employee’s intrusion on seclusion claim against an employer. The Kansas Supreme Court’s analysis of intrusion on seclusion claims in the creditor debtor context does, however, suggest how the Court would approach an intrusion on seclusion claim in the employment context. Numerous federal court cases analyzing intrusion on seclusion claims under Kansas law in the employment context also serve as a guide to predicting how Kansas courts will rule on these claims. This Article synthesizes current intrusion on seclusion law in Kansas and explains how it applies to the employment context. It also collects and reviews existing federal cases analyzing intrusion on seclusion claims in the employment context under Kansas law. It concludes that Kansas courts should approach an intrusion on seclusion claim in the employment context as they have approached these claims in the creditor-debtor context and balance the respective rights and interests of the parties. To determine whether an employer has invaded an employee’s privacy, courts must determine whether the employer’s legitimate business interest in the information outweighs the employee’s privacy interest.