cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Sequential Analysis of Family Interaction

This chapter is essentially an advertisement for the sequential and time-series analysis of observational data. It is currently reasonable to make the following statement: Anyone who has collected data over time and ignores time is missing an opportunity. It will be helpful to back up this statement with several examples and with a discussion of conceptual issues.
Clinical Research on the Ghrelin Axis and Alcohol Consumption

Ghrelin, a 28 amino acid orexigenic peptide mainly produced by the stomach, is the endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (ghrelin receptor) and regulates a number of physiological processes including energy homeostasis, appetite, gut motility, anxiety, sleep, cardiovascular functions, and inflammation. In addition, preclinical studies demonstrate ghrelin’s involvement in reward signaling by its actions in the mesolimbic dopaminergic system, which may enhance the incentive value of food and alcohol rewards. In recent years, clinical studies on alcohol-dependent individuals and healthy controls show that acute and chronic alcohol consumption, as well as abstinence from alcohol, may significantly alter blood ghrelin levels. A positive significant correlation between blood ghrelin levels and alcohol craving has also been reported in alcohol-dependent subjects. Furthermore, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within genes encoding ghrelin, i.e., the preproghrelin gene (GHRL), and the ghrelin receptor, i.e., growth hormone secretagogue receptor gene (GHSR), have been associated with alcohol drinking behaviors and other phenotypic variables related to alcohol dependence; however, these studies need to be replicated in a larger cohort of individuals before strong conclusions can be drawn. In summary, growing, albeit preliminary, human evidence suggests that targeting the ghrelin signaling system may offer a novel pharmacotherapeutic approach for reducing alcohol craving and use in patients with alcohol use disorders.
Housing Older America

An underlying goal of government involvement in the housing sector is to promote the well-being of the population. This goal, which became a legislative mandate with the call for “a decent, safe, and sanitary dwelling for every American” in the 1937 Housing Act, is based on the presumption that housing conditions have significant effects on the health and welfare of the citizenry. The implied logic of this relationship is that if deleterious conditions are identified, government programs can be developed to eliminate or counteract them. Efforts to achieve this goal have taken many forms. Two prominent examples are construction and rehabilitation programs to improve housing conditions and rent subsidy programs that reduce the burden of housing costs for the poor.
Intracellular pH controls Wnt signaling downstream of glycolysis in the vertebrate embryo

Formation of the body of vertebrate embryos proceeds sequentially by posterior addition of tissues. While this process depends on aerobic glycolysis acting upstream of Wnt signaling in tail bud cells, the molecular details of this regulation are unknown. Here we used chicken embryos and human tail bud-like cells differentiated in vitro from iPS cells to show that glycolysis acts by increasing the intracellular pH (pHi) of tail bud cells. This promotes beta-catenin acetylation leading to Wnt signaling activation and the choice of a mesodermal fate at the expense of the neural fate in tail bud precursors. Our data suggest that by increasing the pHi of tail bud cells, aerobic glycolysis creates a favorable chemical environment for non-enzymatic acetylation of beta-catenin, ultimately triggering Wnt signaling.
REPAIRit: Improving Myocardial Nulling and Ghosting Artifacts of 3D Navigator-Gated Late Gadolinium Enhancement Imaging During Arrhythmia

Background Cardiac 3D navigator-gated late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging is important for assessment of left atrial fibrosis, but the image quality is often degraded due to arrhythmia. Purpose To investigate a novel 3D LGE sequence with improved myocardial nulling and reduced ghosting artifacts during arrhythmia. Study type Prospective. Population Arrhythmia patients (n = 14). Sequence The proposed technique, REPAIRit (Regrowth Equalization Pulse for Arrhythmias in Inversion Recovery with automatic inversion time calculation), inserts a saturation pulse with a dynamic flip angle into the 3D LGE sequence to minimize arrhythmia-induced signal fluctuations. Using ShMOLLI (shortened modified Look-Locker imaging) to estimate myocardial T1 , REPAIRit automatically calculates the optimal inversion time (TI) based on Bloch equations. Assessment REPAIRit LGE and the standard LGE were compared with simulations, phantom imaging, and patient studies. Patient images were assessed quantitatively, based on ghost-to-noise ratio (GNR), blood signal-to-noise ratio (SNRb), myocardial signal-to-noise ratio (SNRm), and blood-to-myocardium contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and qualitatively on a 4-point scale. Patients were subgrouped based on the presence of arrhythmia to assess the image quality difference. Statistical tests The two LGE sequences were compared by Student's t-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The two patient-subgroups were compared using Welch's t-test and Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Results In 14 analyzed patients, REPAIRit LGE significantly lowered GNR (1.25 ± 0.41 vs. 1.42 ± 0.42, P = 0.04), reduced SNRm (1.90 ± 0.60 vs. 3.16 ± 1.66, P = 0.01), improved ghosting artifact scores (2.5 ± 0.6 vs. 2.2 ± 0.9, P = 0.03), myocardial nulling scores (2.7 ± 0.5 vs. 2.3 ± 0.7, P = 0.02), and atrial quality scores (2.8 ± 0.3 vs. 2.4 ± 0.8, P = 0.03) compared with the standard LGE. Comparing patients with arrhythmia (n = 6) to those without (n = 8) during the scan, the former had lower left ventricular (LV) myocardial T1 s (430 ± 26 msec vs. 469 ± 39 msec, P = 0.06) but similar blood T1 s (318 ± 55 msec vs. 316 ± 27 msec, P = 0.96), and significantly lower blood SNR (5.2 ± 1.8 vs. 9.2 ± 3.0, P = 0.01) and significantly worse image quality (P = 0.01 for REPAIRit and P = 0.03 for standard). Data conclusion REPAIRit improves myocardial nulling and reduces ghosting artifacts of 3D LGE under arrhythmia. Level of evidence 2 Technical Efficacy: Stage 1 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;49:688-699.
Engineering hiPSC cardiomyocyte in vitro model systems for functional and structural assessment.

Abstract The study of human cardiomyopathies and the development and testing of new therapies has long been limited by the availability of appropriate in vitro model systems. Cardiomyocytes are highly specialized cells whose internal structure and contractile function are sensitive to the local microenvironment and the combination of mechanical and biochemical cues they receive. The complementary technologies of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) derived cardiomyocytes (CMs) and microphysiological systems (MPS) allow for precise control of the genetics and microenvironment of human cells in in vitro contexts. These combined systems also enable quantitative measurement of mechanical function and intracellular organization. This review describes relevant factors in the myocardium microenvironment that affect CM structure and mechanical function and demonstrates the application of several engineered microphysiological systems for studying development, disease, and drug discovery.
Une révolution algérienne à hauteur d’homme: by Mohammed Bedjaoui, preface by Jacques Frémieux, Paris, Riveneuve, 2018, iv+372+10 iconographic pp., €22 (softcover), ISBN 978-2-36013-479-3

Dr. Mohammed Bedjaoui (b. 1929) is a distinguished Algerian judge and diplomat who subsequently became the first Arab to join, and eventually preside over, the International Court of Justice at The...
Sex Without Contraceptives in a Multicenter Study of Adolescent Emergency Department Patients.

Objectives In the United States, rates of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remain exceptionally high, and racial and ethnic disparities persist. Emergency departments (EDs) care for over 19 million adolescents each year, the majority being minority and low socioeconomic status. Single-center studies demonstrate infrequent use of contraceptives among adolescent ED patients and an association between risky sex and behaviors such as alcohol and drug use; however, no multicenter ED data exist. The objectives of this study were to 1) determine the prevalence of sex without contraceptives in a large multicenter adolescent ED study and 2) assess patient demographic and risky behaviors associated with sex without contraceptives. Methods Participants aged 14 to 17 years (n = 3,247) in 16 pediatric EDs across the United States completed an electronic survey. Questions focused on validated measures of risky sex; use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other drugs; and depression and violence. In this secondary analysis, we constructed univariable and multivariable models to identify demographic and behavioral factors associated with sex without contraceptives (our primary outcome), separately for adolescent males and females. Results In the prior year, 17.4% (236/1,356) of males and 15.8% (299/1,891) of females had sex without contraceptives. In the multivariable model, sex without contraceptives for both genders was more likely among teens who were black, with conduct problems and participated in casual sex, binge drinking, or cannabis use. Sex without contraceptives was also more likely among Hispanic and cigarette-smoking males, as well as depressed females. Conclusions Adolescent ED patients across the United States are participating in risky sexual behaviors that increase their likelihood of pregnancy and STI acquisition. These adolescents report a number of problem behaviors, including substance use, which are strongly correlated with unprotected sex. The ED visit may be an opportunity to identify at-risk adolescent patients, address risky behaviors, and intervene to improve adolescent health.
Toddlers imitate prosocial demonstrations in bystander but not transgressor contexts

Abstract Although prosocial abilities are associated with a wide range of healthy outcomes, few studies have experimentally examined socialization practices that may cause increased prosocial responding. The purpose of this study was to investigate conditions under which 2- and 3-year-old children can acquire prosocial behaviors through imitation. In Study 1 (N = 53), toddlers in the experimental condition watched a video of an adult comfort a woman in distress by performing a novel prosocial action without depicting how the woman was hurt. Parents then pretended they hurt their own finger and feigned distress. Children in the experimental condition were more likely to imitate the novel action relative to two control groups: (a) children who did not watch the video but witnessed a distressed parent, and (b) children who watched the video but witnessed parents engage in a neutral interaction. Thus, in a bystander context where children witnessed parent distress, toddlers imitated a general demonstration of how to respond prosocially to distress and applied this information to a specific distress scenario. In Study 2 (N = 54), the procedures were identical to those in the first study except that children were led to believe that they had transgressed to cause parent distress. In a transgressor context, children in the experimental condition were not more likely to imitate the prosocial behavior relative to children in either control group. These studies demonstrate that whether or not children have caused a victim’s distress greatly affects their ability to apply a socially learned prosocial behavior, possibly due to self-conscious emotions such as guilt and shame.
Mental health distress in homebound older adults: Importance of the aging network

Homebound older adults may be at risk of suicide due to elevated loneliness, social isolation, and depression. The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide posits that thwarted belongingness, perceived burd...
Couple Therapy Integrated: A Commentary on Couple Impasses—Three Therapeutic Approaches

Couple therapy is too complex, and too important, to be undertaken under the sway of doctrinal orthodoxy. Integrating various schools of thought enlarges our toolkit and optimizes our efforts. In their excellent paper, “Couple Impasses: Three Therapeutic Approaches, Siegel, Goldman, and Fishbane provide three contemporary examples of such integration. In this commentary, I will note some commonalities in their work, highlight some singularly useful ideas from each author’s section, and conclude with some of my own thoughts about integrating and sequencing interventions in couple therapy.
Transport of intensity phase imaging with Wiener deconvolution for enhanced visibility

Transport of Intensity Equation (TIE) is a powerful computational tool for quantitative phase imaging using intensity only measurement. However, one drawback of TIE is that it does not include any parameters of the imaging system in the equation. To account for the effect of the imaging system on the retrieved phase, TIE is reformulated using Contrast Transfer Function (CTF) to analytically derive the distortion functions present in TIE. The distortion function attenuates the frequency components in the pass band resulting in a blurry phase image. For image restoration, signal parameters are estimated by minimizing a cost function for power spectrum and an optimal wiener filter is employed to deconvolve the distortion function. The proposed method is experimentally demonstrated through a visible enhancement in the phase images of human cheek cells obtained using a bright field microscope.
Abstract P340: Chronic Cerebrovascular Damage and Acute Embolic Mechanisms Associated With Acute Leptomeningeal Collateral Flow in Embolic Large Vessel Occlusion

Background and Purpose: Acute leptomeningeal collateral flow is vital to maintain blood perfusion to penumbral tissue in acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion (LVO). However, the degr...
Cost-efficient virtual network function chaining over NFV-based telecommunications networks

Network Function Visualization (NFV) enables the softwarization of network functions on standardized commodity hardware, which is promising to help the network carriers to achieve a lower investment cost, a shorter time to deployment, as well as a more flexible and dynamic way of network configuration and management. One of the key challenges is how to efficiently place and chain the software-based virtual network functions in the physical substrate to provision the requested network service while minimizing the physical network cost. In this paper, we mathematically formulate the virtual network function chaining problem using Integer Linear Programming (ILP), in order to facilitate an optimal solution. In addition, we propose a set of heuristic algorithms to efficiently solve this problem. The proposed Close To Destination (CTD) algorithm can achieve a near-optimal physical network cost that is close to the optimal result obtained from the ILP solution, but with a very low computational complexity. Comprehensive simulations are conducted to evaluate the proposed approaches, and the results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed CTD algorithm.
Changes over Time in the Predictors of Athletic Training Program Commitment

Context: Understanding changes in athletic training program (ATP) commitment over time is crucial in retaining high-quality students in an ATP. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine i...
Divided Flow Through a Divergent Inlet Conduit

Determination of characteristics of divided flow phenomena is investigated; one model is conduit with constant cross-section having opening perpendicular to its length; other is conduit with divergent inlet having side opening at end of divergent; analysis is developed by means of free stream line theory, assuming two-dimensional irrotational flow of incompressible fluid.
Suppressed expression of surface Ia on macrophages by lipopolysaccharide: Evidence for regulation at the level of accumulation of mRNA

The surface expression of class II major histocompatibility molecules (immune associated or Ia antigens) is an acquired property of macrophages, essential to their ability to interact effectively with T lymphocytes. Surface expression of Ia is induced by stimulants such as interferon-gamma and is suppressed by agents such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Recent studies on several cultured cell lines indicate that interferon-gamma can heighten cellular levels of mRNA encoding Ia, and the level of such mRNA may represent an important regulatory focus for controlling expression of surface Ia. Murine peritoneal macrophages were treated with interferon-gamma and/or LPS and expression of Ia mRNA determined by Northern blot analysis with a probe specific for the murine beta-chain of I-A. mRNA specific for I-A beta was not detectable in explanted macrophages obtained from sites of sterile inflammation but was induced by treatment of purified recombinant interferon-gamma. This effect was dose dependent and was optimal by 24 hr after stimulation. Ia-specific mRNA preceded the surface expression of Ia as monitored by a radioimmunoassay using a monoclonal antibody specific for I-A beta. When a physiologic dose of LPS was added concomitantly with the interferon-gamma, the time course of induction if Ia-specific mRNA was not altered, but the amount of such mRNA detected was suppressed 40 to 80%. This effect was dependent on the dose of LPS, and the levels of mRNA correlated closely with subsequent surface expression of Ia. The ability of LPS to suppress both mRNA and cell surface Ia expression required that the suppressive agent be added within 12 hr of the inducing stimulus. This is the time frame during which accumulation of mRNA occurs. Thus the data demonstrates that accumulation of specific mRNA is a major regulatory focus governing expression of Ia both by interferon-gamma and LPS.
Hedgerow species and environmental conditions effects on soil total C and N and C and N mineralization patterns of soils amended with their prunings

An important criterium in selecting species for alley cropping is themineralization pattern of their prunings. This study determined effects of 5years of hedgerow pruning applications on soil organic C and total N at threelocations in Haiti and mineralization patterns from soil amended with theprunings during an incubation using micro-lysimeters. Soils (0–5cm) under 5 hedgerows were collected at each site and analyzed fororganic C and total N. In the laboratory, ground leaves and stems (< 1cm diameter) of the hedgerow species were mixed with soil at ratesof 3 and 1.5 Mg ha−1, respectively, andaerobically incubated in the dark at 25 °C. A non-amended soilwas used as control. Soils were leached to determine mineral N at 1, 3, 7, 14,28, 42, 84 and 120 days of incubation. Evolved CO2 was measuredfollowing each leaching procedure. At the calcareous site, application ofprunings from Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) De Wit andDelonix regia (Boj. ex Hook. Raf.) resulted in 23 and 13%higher soil N than the control, respectively, after 5 years. There were nodifferences in total N at the other sites but soil N was highest underLeucaena hybrid and Acaciaangustissima (Mill.) Kuntze, respectively at the basaltic and highelevation sites. Soils under D. regia (calcareous) andA. angustissima and Leucaena hybrid(high elevation) had higher organic C than the respective controls. Carbon andNmineralization and C turnover were highest when soils were amended with leavesof Leucaena diversifolia (Schlecht.) Benth (calcareous andbasaltic soils) and A. angustissima (high elevation) andlowest in non-amended control soils. Stem-amended soils showed differences in Cmineralization for calcareous and high elevation soils whereas N mineralizationwas similar among treatments within sites. Carbon and N mineralization (highelevation soil) correlated positively with N concentrations of leaf prunings.Amendments with leaf prunings increased soil C and N mineralization andturnoverrates, suggesting greater nutrient availability for the crop during a shortperiod than in non-amended control soils.
16 Imaging Evaluation of Sinusitis: Impact on Health Outcome

The clinical signs and symptoms of acute bacterial sinusitis (ABS) overlap with that of nonspecific upper respiratory track viral infection (strong evidence). Children under the age of 6 years should not undergo sinus radiographs due to their limited sinus development (moderate evidence). Sinus radiographs are moderately sensitive to diagnose ABS compared with sinus puncture and culture (moderate evidence). Although a CT scan is frequently performed to assist diagnosis of sinusitis, no adequate data exists on the sensitivity and specificity of sinus CT for diagnosis of ABS (limited evidence). Definitive imaging criteria are presence of frothy air-fluid levels or complete sinus opacification, but do not include mucosal thickening (limited evidence). Despite relatively high sensitivity of CT or sinus radiography, ­imaging is not indicated in the initial diagnostic work up for acute uncomplicated sinusitis, due to cost and radiation dose (strong evidence). Imaging study is indicated for patients who fail to respond to medical management, or severe symptoms suspicious for complications related to acute sinusitis, or patients planning to undergo surgery (moderate evidence). The diagnosis of chronic sinusitis is based on clinical grounds. No gold standard exists to confirm clinical diagnosis. CT findings for chronic sinusitis often do not correlate with patients’ clinical symptoms (limited evidence). Imaging (contrast enhanced CT or MR) is indicated in immunocompromised patients with acute progression of sinus infection with neurological symptoms in order to assess potential complications from acute sinusitis.
Immunomodulation with IL-4Rα Antisense Oligonucleotide Prevents Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Mediated Pulmonary Disease

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes significant morbidity and mortality in infants worldwide. Severe RSV infections in infants cause bronchiolitis, wheeze, and/or cough and significantly increase the risk for developing asthma. RSV pathogenesis is thought to be due to a Th2-type immune response initiated in response to RSV infection, specifically in the infant. Using a neonatal mouse system as an appropriate model for human infants, we sought to determine whether local inhibition of IL-4Rα expression during primary RSV infection in the neonate would prevent Th2-skewed responses to secondary RSV infection and improve long-term pulmonary function. To reduce IL-4Rα expression, antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) specific for IL-4Rα were administered intranasally to neonatal mice at the time of primary infection. Mice were initially infected with RSV at 1 wk of age and were reinfected at 6 wk of age. Administration of IL-4Rα ASOs during primary RSV infection in neonatal mice abolished the pulmonary dysfunction normally observed following reinfection in the adult. This ablation of pulmonary dysfunction correlated with a persistent rebalancing of the Th cell compartment with decreased Th2 responses (i.e., reduced goblet cell hyperplasia, Th2 cells, and cytokine secretion) and increased Th1 responses (i.e., elevated Th1 cell numbers and type I Abs and cytokines). Our data support our hypothesis that a reduction in the Th2 immune response during primary infection in neonates prevents Th2-mediated pulmonary pathology initially and upon reinfection and further suggest that vaccine strategies incorporating IL-4Rα ASOs may be of significant benefit to infants.
3.3 GHz sense-amplifier in 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS technology

The performance of a novel current-steering logic sense-amplifier (CSL-SA) is verified through measurements in 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS by implementing a CSL-SA flip-flop (CSL-SAFF). The measured operating frequency of 3.3 GHz in 0.18 /spl mu/m is the highest performance results published to date in any CMOS technology. Measurements using 0.5, 0.35, 0.25 and 0.18 /spl mu/m technologies show power and speed scaling of the new SA and SAFF to smaller geometries. The CSL-SA has better input sensitivity and 92% less clock-load compared to conventional voltage SAs.
Economic allocation of reactive power supply in an electric power network

The use of linear programming for optimizing the investment and operation of the reactive power allocation in a power system is presented. The approach incorporates decomposition methods for controlling various tap-changing transformers and reactive power injections for minimizing real power losses. Solutions are constrained by limits on bus voltage levels, tap settings, and reactive power flows. The study results in a significant reduction in the number of iterations, computation time, and the memory space required for solving a large-scale network. >
Low-threshold Ca2+ current and its role in spontaneous elevations of intracellular Ca2+ in developing Xenopus neurons [published erratum appears in J Neurosci 1994 Mar;14(3):following table of contents]

Amphibian spinal neurons exhibit spontaneous elevations of intracellular calcium at early stages of development. The underlying calcium influx involves high-voltage-activated (HVA) currents. To begin to understand how they are triggered, we have studied the biophysical properties and developmental function of low-voltage-activated (LVA) T- type calcium current of neurons cultured from the embryonic neural plate. T current was recorded from young neurons (6–9 hr in vitro) and from mature neurons (18–48 hr in vitro) using whole-cell voltage clamp. For both young and mature neurons, T current has a low threshold and is activated at membrane potentials positive to -60 mV in 2 mM extracellular calcium. The current is maximal at -35 mV with a mean peak amplitude of approximately 50 pA. Nickel blocks both LVA and HVA currents, but the former are 20-fold more sensitive. Amiloride also blocks T current selectively. T current is recorded in 87% of young neurons. This percentage drops to 67% in mature neurons after 1 d in culture and to 35% in mature neurons after 2 d in culture. There are no significant developmental changes in T current threshold, peak density, time course of activation and inactivation, and pharmacological sensitivity to blockers from 6 to 48 hr in culture. Spontaneous transient calcium elevations in young neurons assayed by fluo-3 fluorescence are blocked by nickel or amiloride at concentrations that specifically block T current. T current has the lowest threshold among other inward currents in young neurons. Moreover, mathematical simulations show that T current lowers the threshold of the action potential by 15 mV. We conclude that T current can depolarize cells and trigger action potentials, and constitutes part of the cascade of events leading to spontaneous elevations of intracellular calcium in cultured neurons at early stages of differentiation.
Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: An Introduction for Emergency Medicine Physicians

Abstract Background Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy has supported critically ill pediatric patients in the intensive care unit setting with cardiac and respiratory failure. This therapy is beginning to transition to the emergency department setting. Objective of Review This article describes the fundamentals of ECMO and familiarizes the emergency medicine physician with its use in critically ill pediatric patients. Discussion ECMO can be utilized as either venoarterial (VA) or venovenous (VV), to support oxygenation and perfusion in respiratory failure, sepsis, cardiac arrest, and environmental hypothermia.
Using predictable observer mobility for power efficient design of sensor networks

In this paper, we explore a novel avenue of saving power in sensor networks based on predictable mobility of the observer (or data sink). Predictable mobility is a good model for public transportation vehicles (buses, shuttles and trains), which can act as mobile observers in wide area sensor networks. To understand the gains due to predictable mobility, we model the data collection process as a queuing system, where random arrivals model randomness in the spatial distribution of sensors. Using the queuing model, we analyze the success in data collection, and quantify the power consumption of the network. Even though the modeling is performed for a network which uses only single hop communication, we show that the power savings over a static sensor network are significant. Finally, we present a simple observer-driven communication protocol, which follows naturally from the problem formulation and can be used to achieve the predicted power savings.
Effects of Preretirement Work Complexity and Postretirement Leisure Activity on Cognitive Aging

Objectives: W e examined the influence of postretirement leisure activity on longitudinal associations between work complexity in main lifetime occupation and trajectories of cognitive change before and after retirement. Methods: Information on complexity of work with data, people, and things, leisure acti vity participation in older adulthood, and four cognitive factors (verbal, spatial, memory, and speed) was available from 421 individuals in the longitudinal Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging. Participants were followed for an average of 14.2 years (SD = 7.1 years) and up to 23 years across eight cognitive assessments. Most of the sample (88.6%) completed at least three cognitive assessments. Results: R esults of growth curve analyses indicated that higher complexity of work with people significantly attenuated cognitive aging in verbal skills, memory, and speed of processing controlling for age, sex, and education. When leisure activity was added, greater cognitive and physical leisure activity was associated with reduced cognitive aging in verbal skills, speed of processing, and memory (for cognitive activity only). Discussion: Eng agement in cognitive or physical leisure activities in older adulthood may compensate for cognitive disadvantage potentially imposed by working in occupations that offer fewer cognitive challenges. These results may provide a platform to encourage leisure activity participation in those retiring from less complex occupations.
Integration of VIRUS spectrographs for the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment

The Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX )at the University of Texas McDonald Observatory will deploy the Visible Integral-Field Replicable Unit Spectrograph (VIRUS) to survey large areas of sky. VIRUS consists of up to 192 spectrographs deployed as 96 units. VIRUS units are fiber-fed and are housed in four enclosures making up the VIRUS Support Structure (VSS). Initial design studies established an optimal array size and an upper and lower bound on their placement relative to the existing telescope structure. Tradeoffs considering IFU (optical fiber) length, support structure mass and ease of maintenance have resulted in placement of four 3 × 8 arrays of spectrograph pairs, about mid-point in elevation relative to the fixed HET structure. Because of the desire to minimize impact on the modal performance of the HET, the VSS is required to be an independent, selfsupporting structure and will only be coupled at the base of the telescope. Analysis shows that it is possible to utilize the existing azimuth drives of the telescope, through this coupling, which will greatly simplify the design and reduce cost. Each array is contained in an insulated enclosure that will control thermal load by means of heat exchangers and use of facility coolant supply. Access for installation and maintenance on the top, front, and rear of the enclosures must be provided. The design and analysis presented in this paper must provide an optimum balance in meeting the stringent requirements for science and facility constraints such as cost, weight, access, and safety.
Assessment of Genetic Diversity for American Shad in the Santee-Cooper River Basin of South Carolina Prior to Hatchery Augmentation

Abstract American shad Alosa sapidissima once supported large commercial fisheries along the Atlantic coast, but by the early 1980s many of these fisheries had declined precipitously. In contrast to most Atlantic coastal rivers, the abundance of American shad in the Santee–Cooper River basin of South Carolina has grown substantially; still, much of their upstream spawning habitat in this watershed has been restricted or adversely affected by impoundments. In an effort to rebuild populations in upstream river reaches of the Santee–Cooper basin, state and federal agencies developed an approach relying on hatchery augmentation, the relocation of prespawning adults, and the construction of permanent fish passage structures. Genetic monitoring was adopted to ensure that the genetic integrity of the population remains intact during the rebuilding process. Our study provided an initial assessment of genetic diversity for the genetic monitoring program. There were three components to the study: an assessment of w...
Thomas Reid’s Philosophy of Mind: Consciousness and Intentionality

Thomas Reid’s epistemological ambitions are decisively at the center of his work. However, if we take such ambitions to be the whole story, we are apt to overlook the theory of mind that Reid develops and deploys against the theory of ideas. Reid’s philosophy of mind is sophisticated and strikingly contemporary, and has, until recently, been lost in the shadow of his other philosophical accomplishments. Here I survey some aspects of Reid’s theory of mind that I find most interesting. I examine whether Reid is a mysterian about the mind, whether Reid has a direct realist theory of perception, and whether Reid has a higher-order, or “inner-sense,” view of consciousness. Along the way I will mention portions of the secondary literature that examine these aspects and point out whether and to what degree I part ways with the interpretations present in the literature.
Adenosine diphosphate ribosylation of fibroblast growth factor-2.

Basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) is posttranslationally modified by the enzymatic transfer of ADP-ribose from nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). When sonicated nuclei of adrenal capillary endothelial or SK-Hep1 cells are incubated with [32P]NAD, FGF-2 is rapidly ADP-ribosylated in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. Proteins structurally related to FGF-2 (FGF-6 and -7) are readily modified, suggesting that they share a common substrate motif. Yet, FGF-1, the most structurally homologous member of the FGF family, is a poor substrate. The reaction is also specific; interleukin-1 alpha, transforming growth factor-alpha, nerve growth factor, insulin-like growth factor-I, and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor are not substrates for ribosylation. Because the ADP ribosylation of FGF-2 is acid resistant but base and hydroxylamine sensitive, the linkage appears to be mediated through arginine. Most importantly, however, we also establish that endogenous FGF-2 is a substrate for ribosylat...
The brain-targeted delivery of dopamine using a redox-based chemical delivery system

Abstract The blood-brain barrier (BBB) blocks the delivery to the brain parenchyma of polar compounds such as the catecholamine, dopamine (DA). Attempts to directly deliver DA to the brain have been unsuccessful, thus impeding the use of neurotransmitter replacement as a strategy for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and other conditions in which a dopamine deficiency may be causative, such as chronic hyperprolactinemia. The present review considers the various means of delivering DA to the brain, with a particular focus on the use of a redox-based delivery system for the brain-targeted delivery and localized release of this important neurotransmitter in brain. Results are presented which document successful delivery of DA, its local release and metabolism in the brain and appropriate pharmacological responses to the delivered neurotransmitter. These results open the possibility of treating a variety of brain maladies with novel DA delivery systems.
Practical considerations of β-blockade in the management of the post–myocardial infarction patient

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a major cause of death and disability in the United States that affects an estimated total of 1.5 million men and women each year. Despite significant advances in pharmacologic and interventional therapies, 25% of men and 38% of women still die within 1 year of the acute event. β-Blockers have been shown to significantly decrease the risk of morbidity and mortality in patients after an AMI. National guidelines recommend that all patients with AMI may be started on β-blocker therapy and continued indefinitely, unless absolutely contraindicated or not tolerated. However, a substantial portion of eligible AMI survivors are not prescribed β-blockers in the hospital after an acute event or upon hospital discharge. In addition, patients with AMI are often treated with agents whose long-term use has not been shown effective and for which optimal dosing has not been defined. This paper will discuss the background of β-blocker use for the treatment of AMI, discuss the rationale for choosing specific agents, and present protocols for initiating or switching to evidence-based therapies.
Electric field screening in an adsorbed layer : CO on Pt(111)

Abstract The IR cross section and Stark tuning rate of CO on Pt(111) versus coverage are measured. (The Stark tuning rate is the variation of vibrational frequency with applied electric field.) We interpret the observations as coverage-dependent screening of applied static and IR fields at CO's adsorption site. In contrast to the standard dipole—dipole coupling model, we find that static and IR screening depend differently on coverage. We also find that the local field Stark tuning rate for CO on Pt(111) in vacuum is half that at the electrochemical double layer. Possible explanations of our results are discussed.
Physiological responses to fluctuation in temperature of salinity in invertebrates. Adaptations ofAlpheus viridari (Decapoda, Crustacea),Terebellides parva (Polychaeta) andGolfinigia cylindrata (Sipunculida) to the mangrove habitat

The snapping shrimpAlpheus viridari (Armstrong, 1949), the polychaeteTerebellides parva Solis-Weiss, Fauchald and Blankensteyn 1990, and the sipunculanGolfingia cylindrata (Keferstein, 1865) are commonly found in the same mangrove habitat, where they experience frequent, acute fluctuations in temperature and salinity. Ecological studies indicate a temporal variation, including occasional absence, in the distribution of bothG. cylindrata andT. parva; this fed us to examine the physiological adaptations of the three species (collected at Western Bay, Twin Cays, Belize in 1985, 1986 and 1988). Each was subjected to acute, repeated exposure to either control (35‰ S) and decreased (25‰ S) salinity or to control and increased (45‰ S) salinity. Ability to regulate water and ion content (g H2O or μmol g-1 solute free dry wt) was examinedA. viridari behaved as a hyperosmotic conformer at decreased salinity but as an osmoconformer at increased salinity. Regardless of direction of salinity change,A. viridari regulated water content through change in Na+, K+, and Cl− contents. In contrast,G. cylindrata behaved as an osmoconformer and did not demonstrate ability to regulate water content.T. parva behaved as an osmoconformer, showed incomplete regulation of water content via change in Na+, K+, and Cl− contents but had limited survival following exposure to 45‰ S. Each species was also exposed to change in temperature. Species were subjected to acute, repeated exposure either to control (28°C) and decreased (21°C) temperature or to control and inereased (35°C) temperatureA. viridari regulated water and ion content under both experimental conditions. In contrast,T. parva did not regulate water and ion content under either experimental temperature.G. cylindrata did not regulate water and ion content during exposure to decreased temperature and did not survive exposure to increased temperature. ForA. viridari, weight specific oxygen uptake rates (mg O2 g-1 ash-free dry wt) were determined. Exposure to decreased salinity or to increased temperature resulted in a small sustained elevation in O2 uptake. It is concluded that, unlikeA. viridari, T. parva andG. cylindrata are only marginally adapted to withstand the salinity and temperature stresses, respectively, of the mangrove habitat. The inability ofT. parva andG. cylindrata to fully adapt to extremes in the mangrove habitat could well explain the temporal variation seen in the distribution of these two species.
The Slowdown In Health Care Spending In 2009–11 Reflected Factors Other Than The Weak Economy And Thus May Persist

During and immediately after the recent recession, national health expenditures grew exceptionally slowly. During 2009–11 per capita national health spending grew about 3 percent annually, compared to an average of 5.9 percent annually during the previous ten years. Policy experts disagree about whether the slower health spending growth was temporary or represented a long-term shift. This study examined two factors that might account for the slowdown: job loss and benefit changes that shifted more costs to insured people. Based on an examination of data covering more than ten million enrollees with health care coverage from large firms in 2007–11, we found that these enrollees’ out-of-pocket costs increased as the benefit design of their employer-provided coverage became less generous in this period. We conclude that such benefit design changes accounted for about one-fifth of the observed decrease in the rate of growth. However, we also observed a slowdown in spending growth even when we held benefit gen...
Area-Perimeter Relations for Two-Dimensional Lattices

(1962). Area-Perimeter Relations for Two-Dimensional Lattices. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 69, No. 8, pp. 742-744.
LightWave: using compact fluorescent lights as sensors

In this paper, we describe LightWave, a sensing approach that turns ordinary compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs into sensors of human proximity. Unmodified CFL bulbs are shown to be sensitive proximity transducers when they are illuminated. This approach utilizes predictable variations in electromagnetic noise resulting from the change in impedance due to the proximity of a human body to the bulb. The electromagnetic noise can be sensed from any point along a home's electrical wiring. This allows users to perform gestures near any CFL lighting fixture, even when multiple lamps are operational. Gestures can be sensed using a single interface device plugged into any electrical outlet. We experimentally show that we can reliably detect hover gestures (waving a hand close to a lamp), touches on lampshades, and touches on the glass part of the bulb itself. Additionally, we show that touches anywhere along the body of a metal lamp can be detected. These basic detectable signals can then be combined to form complex gesture sequences for a variety of applications. We also show that CFLs can function as more general-purpose sensors for distributed human motion detection and ambient temperature sensing.
Load Balanced Parallel GPU Out-of-Core for Continuous LOD Model Visualization

Rendering massive 3D models has been recognized as a challenging task. Due to the limited size of GPU memory, a massive model with hundreds of millions of primitives cannot fit into most of modern GPUs. By applying parallel Level-Of-Detail (LOD), as proposed in [1], transferring only a portion of primitives rather than the whole to the GPU is sufficient for generating a desired simplified version of the model. However, the low bandwidth in CPU-GPU communication make data-transferring a very time-consuming process that prevents users from achieving high-performance rendering of massive 3D models on a single-GPU system. This paper explores a device-level parallel design that distributes the workloads in a multi-GPU multi-display system. Our multi-GPU out-of-core uses a load-balancing method and seamlessly integrates with the parallel LOD algorithm. Our experiments show highly interactive frame rates of the “Boeing 777” airplane model that consists of over 332 million triangles and over 223 million vertices.
A golden iterated map number system: Results and conjectures

We construct a number system for representing numbers in [0, 1] that is based on iterations of an asymmetric tent map that incorporates the golden ratio. It is already known that in this system a number has a periodic representation if and only if it lies in . We investigate other aspects of this system such as non-uniquely representable numbers, an inherent semigroup structure, connections with Wythoff's game, related sequences of rational functions, and its connection with an iterative scheme reminiscent of paper folding analysis. Many details of the above-mentioned connections are conjectural.
Biochemical assessment of bone formation and resorption in acromegaly.

The effects of chronic GH and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) excess on bone metabolism were examined by measuring serum markers of bone formation and urine markers of bone resorption as well as vertebral bone densities in patients with active acromegaly. Fasting serum GH levels were elevated in all 27 patients (31 +/- 11 micrograms/L). Serum calcium levels were within the normal range, except in 3 of 27 (10%) patients with mild hypercalcemia. Urinary calcium excretion, however, was increased in 6 (22%) patients despite mainly normal serum PTH and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels, suggesting a direct renal GH and/or IGF-I-mediated calciuric effect. Urinary hydroxyproline/creatinine excretion was increased in all except 1 patient and correlated with plasma IGF-I levels (r = 0.49; P < 0.02; n = 22). A more specific indicator of bone collagen turnover, urinary type I collagen cross-linked N-telopeptide, was elevated in all except 1 patient and correlated with serum GH (r = 0.47; P < 0.02), IGF-I (r = 0.60...
The Entrepreneurial City: Fabricating Urban Development in Syracuse, New York

This paper presents a case study of contemporary urban redevelopment in Syracuse, New York, within a theoretical framework drawn from urban political economy. Our analysis integrates the role of the local state in assuming the financial risk for a redevelopment project with an understanding of the meanings and role of a fabricated cultural landscape in ensuring the success of the project. We argue that the urban landscape is fundamentally embedded and implicated in the ongoing political economy of American urban places.
Subvalvular techniques to optimize surgical repair of ischemic mitral regurgitation.

Purpose of review Surgical treatment of ischemic mitral regurgitation with reduction annuloplasty is the current standard of practice, yet recurrence rates approaching 30% limit the benefits of repair in this subset of patients. In an effort to improve outcomes, attention has turned to understanding the contribution of leaflet tethering in this disease process. Subvalvular techniques to alleviate leaflet restriction have recently been incorporated into methods of repair.
Mapping genes located on human chromosomes 2 and 12 to porcine chromosomes 15 and 5

Informative microsatellites associated with two genes on HSA12 (lysozyme, LYZ; tumour necrosis factor receptor, TNFR) and one gene on HSA2 (glutamic acid decarboxylase 1, GAD1) were mapped in the US Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) swine reference population and the physical assignment of a-lactalbumin (LALBA) was determined. A comparative map for HSA2 and HSA12 with SSC15 and SSC5, respectively, was developed by combining the results from this study with published type I loci mapped in both species. One rearrangement between HSA2 and SSC15 was detected while the number of rearrangements between HSA12 and SSC5 were numerous. These results indicated that conservation of synteny does not imply a conservation of gene order and that additional type I markers need to be mapped in the pig to fully understand the chromosomal rearrangements that occurred during the evolution of mammals.